


Aviantei

by Aviantei



Category: Shaman King (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, Hao/OC, OC/Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2020-06-07 17:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 29
Words: 82,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19474345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aviantei/pseuds/Aviantei
Summary: Lon Ivy didn't know what she was getting into that night when Hao pulled her from the flames. But in all honesty, neither did he. As the Shaman Fight advances, there's more at stake than just the fate of the world. Too bad the one fighting for that sake only cares about two things: revenge and helping the person that saved her from the flames years ago. [HaoXOC]





	1. Part One: Decision

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter of this work was originally posted on fanfiction.net on January 30, 2009. At the time of this posting, it's still a work in progress. These opening chapters could probably stand to have a nice polish and reworking, but I've chosen to keep things as is, otherwise I'd be fixing my old fics forever.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm generally not one for retconning my previous works. After all, even old, messy writing has a formative part in our writing processes, and it's not like I consider them "bad," either (Not to mention if I rewrote anything once it fell below my current standards, I'd never have time to make anything new). It's just, in the case of this fic, which has been with me for so long, I wanted to do it justice for how important it is to me.
> 
> With that in mind, through the month of June 2020, this fic is going to see uploads and updates of the original span of chapters so that everything is consistent with how the remaining chapters have been written to help keep everything clean once it's done. The general arc of the plot has remained the same, but descriptions, dialogue, character interactions, and some names and terms of canon concepts have been updated from the original.
> 
> If you've been with the story for a while and you're rereading this, I super appreciate your patience with my nonsense. If you're new here, I hope you enjoy the ride.
> 
> -Avi
> 
> [06.01.2020]

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part One: Decision

* * *

With his body at age six and his mind at over one thousand, Asakura Hao wondered what he was doing as the fires burned around him.

It was not a very large fire; he’d caused much bigger conflagrations on his own with little more than willing them into existence. It wasn’t as if the size was the fire’s fault it was contained so such a small building with no others around it to spread the blaze to. The small home resting in an out of the way location of China would be the start and the end of it, and eventually there would be nothing but ashes and charred debris to serve as evidence of what had happened—or maybe not even that.

By all logic, there was nothing anyone would be able to do to stop the fire, what with how far it was away from society. Even the small pond mirroring the red orange glow of the flames didn’t have nearly enough water to douse it. Of course, most people’s ideas of logic only operated in the idea of reality. As an onmyoji—a type of shaman that specialized in controlling the five elements of fire, earth, metal, water, and wood—Hao had more control over the situation than one would ever suspect out of a child.

He just chose not to exert it.

A random home burning to the ground was of little concern to him; he had no reason to be here. And yet, he’d arrived there anyways on his travels. As the hot embers and orange sparks reflected in his auburn eyes, Hao considered getting back to his search for followers in the upcoming Shaman Fight, but the whisper stopped him.

_…ei._

It was not the voice of a person calling for help. By normal conventions, it would be difficult to call it a “voice” at all, but that was still what it was. It was simply that the speaker wasn’t human.

Onmyoji relied on various abilities to commune with nature and the world of spirits, but the elements were the cornerstone of most of them. What most people didn’t realize is that the elements could _talk_ , albeit in a less intricate way than most modern human languages. They roared in waves and sang when in harmony. With enough practice, one could discern those impressions and concepts into something like words—the Elemental Language.

Hao had been able to hear them for almost as long as he’d been in existence, and their voices were active now. He could hear the underlying cadence of the active fire burning, beyond just the crackle and pressure and _heat_. He realized that he’d been likely been subconsciously following the words of the elements, and that was why he’d arrived here of all places.

Curiosity piqued, Hao found an open spot where the damage had collapsed one of the walls and stepped into the fire.

Inside, the world was an inferno of red and orange and yellow. Occasionally, there was a lick of green amongst the other colors, a wisp of blue. This was not any natural fire, nor was it something human hands would be able to replicate. Even so, such intensity had to be intentional, though did it really matter when most of the damage was already done?

Because of his own mastery of the elements, Hao could walk amongst the blaze without so much as worrying about a single smudge or scorch mark appearing on his clothes. The idea of getting burnt was a mere memory to him. He walked amongst the burning home as most people would take a stroll through a park; casually, with only concern for observing the scenery. It was amongst that cycle of fire and smoke that he saw it.

Lying at Hao’s feet was a young girl.

In terms of physicality, she was bout his age, likely younger. While ash had fallen on her body, she was burn-free as well, and short brown hair hung into her face. Despite everything, she was breathing easy, though she was unconscious. The calls of the elements towards her were more than enough for Hao to tell she was an onmyoji as well—still in the stages of refinement, but one with plenty of potential.

Which made the fact that she was even in a situation like this all the more unusual.

Pushing away some debris with a foot, Hao knelt down next to the girl and shook her shoulder. When she didn’t immediately respond, he channeled some of his mana into a quick healing, flushing out whatever ability had knocked her out, and was rewarded with her deep brown eyes fluttering open.

“Mǔqīn… Fùqīn…”

The soft call for her parents helped bring the rest of the pieces into focus. While the girl was alive, she wasn’t the only body in the room, though it was much more accurate to call them corpses at this point. Just like their crumbling home, their bodies were charred almost past the point of recognition. Even so, they were this girl’s parents.

It was all too familiar a scene.

“Who…are you?”

The Chinese words steadily eased their way out of her mouth, and Hao took a short moment to make sure he was speaking in the correct language before ignoring the question for now. “I could quell the flames if you want,” he said, finding his voice softer than usual.

The girl stared up at him, her mind working much faster than Hao had expected for her circumstances. There was the debate to push him to answer her initial question, but she passed it up—deciding it was easier to go with the flow of the conversation for now.

“So could I,” she said, looking almost lost, “but I want to burn.” _I want it to go away._ She looked over the fire, the burning light making the shimmer of unsplit tears in her eyes all the obvious. Even so, she forced them back with sheer willpower. “It’s not like this fire is going to hurt me. So who cares?”

She cared. Hao understood that, because _he_ had cared, though those feelings were lost long ago. Even so, if she wanted to let the evidence and memories of her past be destroyed, it wasn’t Hao’s place to step in. Even if he would, there wouldn’t be much left to salvage now.

Hao smiled a bit. “You’re an onmyoji, I presume.” In reality, he already knew, but he was much more interested in seeing how she’d react.

The girl gave him another one of those curious stares, but she adjusted so she was sitting before him instead of half sprawled on the ground, revealing the last remaining patch of still clean floor beneath her. “Yes.” She looked over him once more. “The fire didn’t hurt you, either. So you’re an onmyoji, too.”

“That I am.”

A small yet shaky smile formed on her face at the notion of having something in common with the stranger before her. She was still cautious, yes, but she was thankful to have something around to distract her from the situation. “What are you doing here, though? Even if you’re an onmyoji, this place is really far out from anywhere else and…” One more look over him, this time paying attention to his apparent age. “Are you on your own? Don’t you…have parents?”

Her tiny hands clenched in her lap. Talking about parents was a sore subject for her, and not simply because hers were no longer with her. Even so, she was curious enough that she’d forged through with asking the question, and those brown eyes of hers were staring right at him, looking for an answer.

“Of course I have parents,” Hao said, deciding there was no harm in telling the truth. “They just don’t particularly like me.” Hard to be liked whenever you were the reincarnation of the worst part of their family’s history. He’d prepared for such a circumstance, though, and he’d been able to escape their attempts to kill him with the help of his spirit ally.

The girl was staring at him, looking more sad than surprised by his declaration. It was to be expected, since her mind was still trying to process the tragedy she’d just experienced. Even so, she hadn’t broken yet, and there was a weapon in her that was a little tarnished but also by no means any less sharp. She would undoubtedly be useful in the future, not to mention just abandoning a child who’d had her parents die would leave a bitter taste in even Hao’s mouth.

“I guess that makes us both orphans, then,” the girl said. She’d realized, then, that her parents were gone. No—it seemed she’d already known. Considering that she was a shaman, it wasn’t surprising how simply she reacted to death. “They’re dead,” she said, those tears once more threatening to well up. “And it’s all because of me.”

Her emotions were roaring almost as much as the fire around them, so loud that it would have been much more surprising if Hao _couldn’t_ hear them, especially with the elements shifting in time to the girl’s feelings. “Why do you say that?”

“Because if I weren’t here, he wouldn’t have come. He wouldn’t have killed them.” She took in a shuddering breath that only brought back the faintest fractions of her composure. Even so, that sharpness inside her held true, forged by a force of hatred. “He left me alive so I would suffer. But I’m not going to just do what he wants.” Her eyes had hardened, and she made her declaration:

“I _will_ kill him.”

It was an impressive level of determination for someone her age, all the more accentuated by the fact that she was dead serious. Hao knew better than most anyone to dismiss that sort of ambition. It would serve as a powerful motivator, and, with what he’d heard on the elements since he’d arrived, it would be a complete waste not to bring this girl into his ranks.

“I’m sorry,” she said, changing gears. Hao blinked. “I didn’t mean to go on so much. I should have at least introduced myself first.” She dipped into a bow, her tone shifting into one of formality. “I’m Lon Ivy. It’s nice to meet you.”

Hao raised a hand to his chest and dipped his head in turn. “My name is Asakura Hao, at your service,” he said, and then he made his offer: “Would you like to come on a journey with me…

“Aviantei?”

_Would you like to go on a journey with me, Aviantei?_

* * *

It was a simple question, and it had an equally simple answer. Even so, Lon Ivy couldn’t bring herself to give a response just yet. It had been so long since she’d been called by her elemental name by another person that, if she hadn’t been so shocked, the tears she’d been forcing back ever since she’d woken up might have spilt over.

“How did you know that?” she asked.

The boy who had introduced himself as Hao looked back at her, an intensity in his amber colored gaze that didn’t fit his apparent age at all. His round child’s face framed by long locks of black-brown hair and the yellow star patterns over his blue cloak gave him a disarming appearance, but Ivy sensed something about him that was overwhelming, almost. The very elements responded to his present with reverent calls that Ivy couldn’t make out the words to.

One way or another, Asakura Hao was _powerful._

“If you recognize your name, then you should already know the answer to that,” he said, outright dismissing her question. It was true: Within the elemental language were names, connected to people, representations of who they were. Of course, they were buried so deep under the rest of the ebb and flow of nature that even onmyoji that had trained for years couldn’t always find theirs.

Hearing someone else’s was even more challenging. Not only did you have to be in tune enough with the elements to hear them speak, you had to ignore the ones calling to you as well as simultaneously hear the ones calling to someone else. Ivy herself had only accomplished the feat once, and that was after months upon months of trying, not to mention her familiarity with the person in question.

And yet Hao had easily spoken hers, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do.

What else was he capable of?

She tried to discern something more about him, but there was only so much she could tell by staring him down. Hao stood, not looking the slightest but perturbed by her intense stare as he brushed away the ash he couldn’t avoid from his time sitting on the ground. “We were on a different topic, though, weren’t we?” he asked, and then he extended his hand. “I wanted to know if you wished to come with me.”

There was possibility in that offer. Asakura Hao had power and skill as an onmyoji. His age didn’t matter in the equation: what mattered most that he was a pillar of strength, and he hadn’t batted an eye when she declared her intent for revenge on the one who killed her parents. She could learn from him, use whatever he could potentially teach her to serve her needs. And if he didn’t willingly want to do so, then she’d watch him closely and utilize whatever she saw.

_I won’t let myself be content with what I’ve learned until I’ve avenged them._

“Will you come with me?”

It was simple really.

“Aviantei?”

All she had to do was give her answer.

Lon Ivy reached out her hand and joined her fingers with Asakura Hao’s.

_“Yes.”_

And with that pronouncement deciding her path, Ivy let Hao escort her away from the ashes of her previous life and into the possibility of a journey.


	2. Part Two: Vow

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Two: Vow

* * *

In the four years since she’d began to travel with Hao, Ivy had stepped foot on the six inhabitable continents and traveled through even more countries. She had been more focused on the training she received from Hao than necessarily learning all about the locations, but she still picked up things. Words in various languages she collected like other children collected toys, supplementing her native Chinese and the Japanese and English she’d also been learning; the basics of cultural customs, occasionally supplemented by any followers Hao gained from that corner of the world; the feel and state of nature from the elements in their voices riding through the wind.

While many humans in the developing world would have considered their current location in Africa to be a desolate and sad looking place, Ivy felt the opposite. The voices of the elements were strong here, a signal that nature hadn’t been fully oppressed. The connection with the world of spirits wasn’t wholly lost. It may not have been “modern” by any means, and there were some detriments to the quality of life because of it, but Ivy thought the energy there was still much more calming than many other places she’d seen.

And yet.

The small body was curled on the ground, looking very much like it had hardly adjusted to being outside the womb. Dark brown skin stuck out against the reddened earth, and Ivy could feel the moment where a life teetered on shifting towards death. An infant who had barely lived a handful of days had been abandoned, the parents unlikely able to support the growing life in one way or another. In traveling with Hao, Ivy had seen firsthand the sort of carnage and war that humans could create, and yet this sight struck her more than any other show of violence she had witnessed or herself carved into the world.

Ivy continued to stare, unable to make any sort of decision on the matter at a mere ten years old. In her peripheral vision, she saw Hao, both his long dark hair and cream-colored cloak fluttering faintly in the far too gentle breeze. She couldn’t recall ever seeing the sad look in his eyes any other time than the instant when she’d pronounced that her parents were dead, and, even then, he hadn’t been as contemplative for so long.

But then he stepped forward. Ivy followed in pace behind him, only for her shoes to rest against the dirt again as Hao stopped and crouched down, his hands gentle as he reached out. There was the pulse of mana in the air, and Ivy almost thought he was going to put the infant out of their misery until she recognized the warm and almost soothing energy.

He was _healing_.

Whatever the future in store for that infant was unclear, but the one certainty was that the child would _live._

* * *

“Aviantei-onee-chan! Tokyo is _huge_!”

Ivy was inclined to agree with that statement. Thanks to Hao, she’d seen several of the world’s major cities in her fourteen years of life, from London to Beijing, and they threw off her sense of scale every single time. Also thanks to Hao, Ivy had gotten used to living on the bare essentials, generally camping out and using his Spirit of Fire for transport. Modern life in comparison was overwhelming at minimum, and the unbalanced voices of the elements occasionally made her feel dizzy.

Beside her, Opacho was tugging at Ivy’s pantleg, curious about the city but conscious enough not just to bolt off on her own. The small girl tightly curled hair formed a large black afro, while she had donned a red and white jacket and a pair of jeans to help protect her against the December cold. Ivy herself was in a gray zip-up hoodie over her green t-shirt and loose blue cotton pants. Both she and Opacho had the shape of a star stitched onto their clothes, a subtle but still present symbol of their allegiance to Hao.

 _Speaking of which, Hao-dono asked you to keep an eye on Opacho while he secured lodgings._ Considering that Hao had a policy against using money, “securing” a place where their group could stay until the preliminary matches of Shaman Fight were over would likely involve threats and a bit of fire. _Tokyo may not feel quite right, but Opacho hasn’t had much chance to be in places like this. Even walking around should be enough for her._

“Aviantei-onee-chan, Aviantei-onee-chan! Opacho wants to go see!” Those requests were followed by a few additional tugs on Ivy’s leg, and she shifted herself to focus. Following Opacho’s pointing finger, Ivy caught sight of someone dressed in a mascot costume, handing out balloons as some sort of promotion or another. Opacho’s wide black eyes were sparkling, which basically settled the matter.

“Okay, but keep hold of my hand.” This request was less for Opacho’s safety, as she was more than capable of keeping herself safe and finding her way back to Ivy without any difficulty thanks to her precognitive abilities, and more for the safety of anyone who would potentially scare her and put themselves on the end of Opacho’s shamanic ability.

Regardless of the reason behind it, Opacho’s tiny fingers held onto Ivy’s own, and they went and watched the mascot performance. True to her age and wonder, Opacho was enthralled, and she likewise had no issue with pulling Ivy around every street she could reach and looking at the world with a wonder and excitement that only went to those with unmarred pasts.

While Ivy tended to not care too much for Hao’s other followers, Opacho was an exception from the moment she’d first called Ivy her “big sister” and clumsily pronounced her elemental name in imitation of Hao. So Ivy didn’t mind in the slightest getting dragged around the city. She helped Opacho with the Japanese words she didn’t understand. She let her try whatever food she wanted. She played silly games with her, a strange rock forming in her gut at the idea of letting a child head into the potentially dangerous fight that was to come.

“Hey, Opacho,” Ivy said, earning herself a curious glance, “are you sure about being in the Shaman Fight?”

Immediately, Opacho’s features shifted into a pout, her cheeks puffing up so much they looked like they were attempting to compete with the volume of her hair. “Of course! Opacho help Hao-dono become Shaman King!”

At its most basic, the Shaman Fight was a competition to see who would become the Shaman King and take control of the Great Spirit—the conglomerate of every spirit since the dawn of the planet. Hao was aiming for that position, with the goal of fixing the world from all the damage humans had caused it. That was the banner under which he’d gathered his followers, and Ivy was no exception.

“Aviantei-onee-chan, too,” Opacho said, her nostrils flaring with a determined snort of air. “Onee-chan help Hao-dono, too!”

“Of course I will.” The affirmation earned her a pleased smile. For Ivy, helping Hao had become as much of her purpose as avenging her parents, and she’d use the strength she’d obtained for his sake. She gave Opacho an apologetic smile. “I suppose that was rude of me, wasn’t it? You want to help Hao-dono as much as I do.”

Opacho bobbed her head in several enthusiastic nods. “Let’s promise!”

“Promise?”

“Yes!” Opacho looked somehow even more determined than before. “Opacho and Aviantei-onee-chan make a promise to help Hao-dono, no matter what!”

It was a simplistic and childish wish. Though she hadn’t put it in those specific words before, Ivy had always considered herself as loyal to Hao. But battles between shamans were always ones where the resolve of your heart came through, and having a promise to back up that resolve would only serve as a benefit.

Ivy smiled and nodded. “Okay. From this moment on, we promise to stay with Hao-dono, alright?”

Subconsciously, Ivy’s free hand moved up to her chest, pressing through her hoodie to the spot where a small silver star pendant hung from a thin chain around her neck. She’d received it as a gift on a day not too unlike this a little over three years ago, and it was a reminder of how much she owed him. But it was also one of her most precious possessions, a symbol of the happy memories she’d made back then.

“Opacho, what do you say I get you a gift?”

* * *

Opacho looked incredibly pleased with her new headband wrapped around her forehead. Ivy had actually procured two of them—a white one for Opacho’s current ensemble and a bright orange in Opacho’s favorite color. It had taken a few street tricks with the elements to get some money, but Ivy had easily pulled together enough cash to not only pick up the gifts without hassle, but also some cheap ramen for dinner. Opacho was noisily slurping up her noodles with a smile, broth flicking out into the air of the park Ivy had tracked down to give her a moment to breathe.

Parks may have been intentionally crafted patches of nature, but that didn’t stop them from feeling more at home for Ivy than being in the middle of hundreds of buildings. With the late hour, there wasn’t anyone around to bother them, either. Her own ramen in her lap, she leaned back against a tree, letting the familiar voices of bark and leaves sooth her. Even if they focused on general techniques, most onmyoji had an element that they resonated with the most, and wood had always been that for her.

Opacho easily tore through her dinner, asking for permission to play while Ivy took a more sedated pace with her meal. Ivy nodded, keeping an eye on Opacho as she ran around as she pleased. _I wonder if Hao-dono’s taken care of lodgings yet. I know he said he’ll send some shikigami after us once he does, but it’s already evening._ If all else failed, they’d simply camp out as per usual, so it wasn’t a big deal, but part of Ivy was secretly looking forward to having a mattress under her rather than just a sleeping bag.

“Aviantei-onee-chan. Bloom?”

Opacho had run back to Ivy, and there was a branch in her small hand, along with an expectant look on her face. Knowing exactly what she wanted, Ivy accepted the bare branch, enjoying the relative smoothness of the bark in her palm. While the branch had broken off from its tree some time ago, it wasn’t completely done for, and especially not in Ivy’s hands. She focused, pushing her mana—the manifestation of her shamanic power—into the stick, then spoke the elemental language’s word for wood:

“ _Fichel._ ”

The wood immediately responded to her call, the elements singing back before the branch burst into a pink cluster of unmistakably out of season sakura blossoms. Opacho clapped her hands in excitement, and Ivy passed her back the branch, smiling at Opacho’s laughter as the girl went back to her game of one, waving the flower covered stick in haphazard patterns throughout the air.

“I should have guessed that you would be in a place like this.”

If Ivy hadn’t heard the faint voices signaling his approach, she would have been surprised to see Hao. He had a way of stirring the up the elements, even when he wasn’t exerting any power, so it was generally easy to notice him. Ivy dipped her head in greeting. “Good evening, Hao-dono.” Hao, with his long hair and signature cloak, layered pants, and belt combo, nodded in acknowledgement, and Ivy looked back over the park. “This was the closest place I could find that let me hear the elements clearly. I like listening to them sometimes. It helps me calm down.”

“I know what you mean. Even I can’t get used to being in the city like this.” The idea of Hao not being used to anything seemed ridiculous, given the age of his soul, but Ivy understood what he meant. “I did manage to find a place that isn’t too deep in the city, so we’ll manage well enough. It’s only for a few months, after all.”

“Hao-dono!” Opacho raced over at the sight of the boy, enthusiastically waving her branch with one hand while pointing to her headband with the other. “Look what Aviantei-onee-chan got me!”

Hao smiled, easily affirming Opacho’s excitement. “I see. Very nice of her, isn’t it?” Ivy tried not to blush at the compliment, but she didn’t succeed, especially when Opacho gave another burst of nods. “Thank you for keeping her company today, Aviantei. I appreciate it.”

“No need to thank me. I had a good time.” Taking the time to relax like this wasn’t so bad in moderation, anyways.

“Opacho and Aviantei-onee-chan made a promise!” Opacho said, stretching up her arms as high as they could go. “We always going to stay with Hao-dono and help him!”

Hao raised an eyebrow, looking amused. “Is that so?” When his amber eyes fell on her, Ivy nodded, trying not to frown at smirk slipping onto his lips. “Well, I certainly appreciate it. I wouldn’t be able to do nearly as much if it weren’t for you all.”

It was one of those things Hao said that Ivy knew wasn’t exactly true. Having reincarnated himself multiple times, Hao had obtained an extensive amount of power in the process. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he could win the Shaman Fight singlehandedly, and he was determined enough to make it happen if necessary. But for him, there were other things he wished to accomplish, and she was grateful for it, as it helped her achieve her own goals.

“You know we’re happy to help, Hao-dono,” Ivy said, and Opacho tossed in her agreeance. Ivy stood, putting herself back close to eye level with Hao, and pressed her hand back to her chest. “I vow to stay by your side until the very end, so please allow me to do whatever it is you need.” And then, because the words didn’t seem like enough, she added a simple promise in the elemental language: “ _Tetate._ ”

“Tegabe!” Opacho echoed, fumbling the pronunciation.

The elements hummed in response to the words, keeping note of the vow. Hao must have heard them as well, understanding the sincerity behind her words. The fresh promise would hold them together, as the fight they’d been preparing for—she for the past eight years and he for the past one-thousand—was set to begin.

“Thank you, Opacho, Aviantei.”

And only a few nights later, the comet Rahu streaked through the sky, the blazing white trail it left among the stars the opening signal to all that was to come.


	3. Part Three: Qualification

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Three: Qualification

* * *

At six years old, Ivy sat before the campfire and forced herself to stare at the flames. She wasn’t _afraid_ of it, but she still had a hard time not remembering the smell of burning bodies whenever she looked at it. The fact that she and Hao had set up camp and he was in the middle of preparing dinner somewhat helped. She’d helped catch some fish for dinner by manipulating the water in the nearby river, and Hao was in the process of cooking them on the open flames as they sat on the riverbank.

Thinking of her newfound master, Ivy glanced to him, still trying to process what he’d taught her in the past month and a half. It wasn’t that she had a tricky time keeping up with the techniques—her general affinity with the elements combined with her stubbornness generally meant she could grasp a concept and execute it in a few days at maximum, even if true mastery was still a way off—but instead the sheer amount of information he _had_ to teach her.

_I wasn’t wrong when I thought he was strong. But he has way too much power. Not even—_

She cut off the thought before it could get anywhere. Comparing Asakura Hao to anyone else was near pointless. By listening to the elements, it was clear that he’d only taught her a mere fraction of what he knew. He wasn’t that much older than her, and yet he had more knowledge than any of the adults that she’d ever learned from.

_But how?_

“You do realize that I’m not going to get angry if you ask me questions, right?”

The remark made Ivy realize that she’d been staring at him long enough for some of the fish to finish cooking, and Hao was offering her one. She accepted it, biting through the crisp skin to the more tender muscle beneath. The food combined with Hao’s gentle voice had a disarming effect, and Ivy made a conscious effort not to let her guard down, her face remaining tense.

Trust wasn’t something that came easy to her anymore.

Still, repressing her curiosity didn’t come easy, either.

“I don’t understand why you’re so powerful,” she said. When Hao’s smile didn’t waver, she pressed on. “You’re only two months older than I am. How did you get so strong already?”

Though she didn’t fully understand it, she was jealous of his ability. _If I’d been that strong, then I could have—_

“Comparing yourself to me is a bit unfair,” Hao said between bites of his own dinner. The campfire continued to crackle, its orange light casting shadows over his face. “I’ve reincarnated myself multiple times, so naturally I’ve accumulated much more ability and mana than you have. This body may be six, but I’m much closer to the one-thousand mark at this point.”

Given her shamanic background, the idea of reincarnation wasn’t all that out there to Ivy. She was almost embarrassed that she hadn’t guessed so sooner. “But I thought when you reincarnate, you don’t remember anything of who you were before?”

“If you go through a natural cycle of reincarnation, yes, that’s accurate. We’ve already discussed the Great Spirit before, so you understand that much.” Ivy nodded; every form of the afterlife existed as a piece of the Great Spirit. Souls that didn’t linger in the world of the living went there, and they’d eventually achieve a state that would lead to reincarnation. “Most spirits don’t have enough control over their souls to determine when they’ve been reborn. However, with the right technique, you can move yourself into a new body before your ego fades. Thus—” He gestured to himself to indicate the result.

“But why not let your soul rest?”

The question was out before Ivy could consider the ramifications of it, her mouth running faster than her mind. When Hao paused for a bit, Ivy tried to make herself smaller and refocused on eating again. If she didn’t push it further, maybe she could act like she’d never asked in the first place. Not that it would change the fact that she’d still wanted to know.

“Because,” Hao said after several seconds of nothing but the fire popping and the flow of the river in the air, “I must win the Shaman Fight. I can’t let the world continue the way it is. And power is necessary to reach my ambitions.” A world free of the influence of humans and a kingdom for shamans. The solemn mood crumbled as Hao chuckled. “So I wouldn’t worry about your strength now. You may not remember, but I can tell that your soul isn’t wholly new, Aviantei. Not to mention the elements are on your side. If you keep this up, you’ll be strong enough in no time, let alone for the Shaman Fight.”

And Hao tossed the remaining bones of his fish into the fire and reached for another.

* * *

Ivy once again found herself wandering through Tokyo as night fell. Despite the sun being down, the place wasn’t anywhere close to dark, with lights permeating and staining the air into a grayish sort of haze. It was near impossible to see the stars, though Hao had held true on his word of finding a place with a garden to relax in. And while the place was nice, it wasn’t exactly an easy location to be found when that was what you wanted.

And Ivy wanted it.

 _It’s been two weeks since we saw Rahu,_ she thought, watching a stray cat dart across the opposite end of the street she was on. _A couple of the others already encountered Patch officiants and passed their qualifier matches. I know a couple of them are also on Hao-dono’s side. You would think that one of them would have already come to test me._

The Patch were a Native American tribe and the officiators of the Shaman Fight since its inception. Their roles included testing participants, refereeing matches, and any other upkeep of the tournament. Ivy had been wandering every night since the comet signaled the start of the competition in hopes of making it easier to have her qualifier.

_I’m so close. This is the first step to completing my revenge and helping Hao-dono. So come at me! I’m ready!_

Her desperate thoughts didn’t make any immediate difference, and it wasn’t until at least a half hour of meandering around a quiet residential neighborhood that Ivy heard the shift in the elements. She turned around, hand immediately reaching for her the spot at her waist where her elements’ pouch normally rested. All she found instead was the hem of her jacket, though, and a _tsk_ slipped out of her mouth.

“You must be Lon Ivy,” a voice said, and soon enough the shape of a person stepped into her vision. He had a near golden complexion and easily would have stood out in broad daylight thanks to his Native American attire. On his gloves, vest, and boots were metal accents, which Ivy could sense the power in them—the side effect of regularly using a medium for some time. “My name is Chrom. I’m here to test to see if you’re worthy of being part of the Shaman Fight.”

 _It’s about time,_ Ivy thought, but she took care not to let her impatience spill out of her mouth. “I know all about your pre-test,” she said, casting her gaze around to look for a suitable substitute medium. While she had her personal set for the most effective use, a mark of an effective offensive onmyoji was in their capability to work with the world around them. There was a nearby tree in one of the house’s yards, and Ivy reached out a hand, willing a leaf to come into her hand. “I know what I need to do. Let’s just get this over with.”

“Very well,” Chrom said, not looking the least bit bothered by Ivy’s impatience. As she’d guessed, a purple light blossomed out of the piece of metal on his right glove, ultimately taking shape of a massive locust with pincers easily as long as its body. “Show me your Over Soul, and then we’ll move on.”

Over Souls were one of the many abilities shamans could manifest. By utilizing their mana, they were able to combine a spirit with a medium to create a physical manifestation that could affect the world of the living in ways that ghosts normally couldn’t. Depending on the spirit, the medium, and the capability and personality of the shaman, the potential forms were near infinite. Utilizing this approach was how Chrom had manifested his locust’s arm, and the only way to get past it would be with another Over Soul.

Ivy held her recently procured leaf between her fingers, enjoying the waxy texture. “Even if we don’t have the usual stuff, this should be plenty. Right, Mya?”

A female spirit emerged from the memorial tablet that Ivy kept in the pocket of her jacket. Her features were a reflection of the traditional image of Japanese beauty, with the only exception being the cobalt blue color of her eyes and hair, the latter kept tied up in a covered bun. She wore a single-layer black kimono with a sash in the same blue, and a collection of five wooden medallions clattered around her neck, each engraved with a kanji representing one of the five elements.

“It will do just fine, Ivy-dono.”

“Alright. Then let’s go. _Integrate!_ ” In a long-practiced movement, Ivy combined Mya’s soul with the leaf. Though many onmyoji worked with nature spirits themselves—as was the case with Hao and the Spirit of Fire—having the ghost of another onmyoji worked just as well, especially since they were more versatile when it came to the mediums they could effectively integrate with. With Mya’s presence inside it, the leaf glowed with the emerald green of Ivy’s manifested mana. Satisfied, Ivy flicked her wrist forward.

“ _Kau.”_

_Strike._

Despite not being a regularly used piece of medium, Ivy’s control combined with Mya’s influence was enough to send the leaf racing through the air in a green blur. She’d aimed for Chrom’s arm without the Over Soul, and the blow had struck true, leaving a thin trail of blood in its wake. Her instincts were telling her that he had much more skill than that, and she forced down the indignation that came from an opponent going easy on her.

_This man’s only purpose is to confirm that shamans can make an Over Soul. You proved that. Take the victory._

Ivy flicked her bangs out of her eyes. “I do believe that fulfils my qualifications,” she said, almost hoping the man would disagree so she could get a proper fight to gauge her strength with.

However, Chrom only nodded. “And here’s your reward.” From his pocket, he pulled out a device with a dark green body and a screen. There were straps on the ends in a lighter green color. “This is your Oracle Bell—”

Ivy swiped the device, effectively stalling out the explanation. “—and I don’t need a tutorial.” Just like everything else in the Shaman Fight, she’d heard about it from Hao: the device was one of the Patch’s Traditional Handicrafts, and it operated much like a pager, sending instructions on how to proceed in the Shaman Fight. “Thanks,” she said to Chrom before waving the Oracle Pager in the air, gesturing for Mya to follow her. “Let’s get going, Mya. I need to get back before Hao-dono decides to turn in for the night.”

“Yes, My Lady.” And Mya’s presence followed behind her as they worked their way through the empty streets back to their temporary base.

“Best of luck to you, Lon Ivy,” Chrom said, and then his presence disappeared, sending ripples of mana through the night.


	4. Part Four: Listening

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Four: Listening

* * *

Hao didn’t have a concrete memory of the first time that he’d read someone’s mind, mostly because he hadn’t fully understood what was happening at the time. And once he _did_ recognize it, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. He’d had more animosity directed at him as a child than was wholly necessary—or maybe it _was_ necessary, given that he’d shifted into proving others’ suspicions right by then, that someone with his powers was someone to be _feared_ —and it wasn’t like those impressions improved as he got older. Gaining more power always came with more enemies.

Though it was an _advantageous_ ability, it wasn’t particularly one that Hao enjoyed.

For the most part, he got impressions of feelings. It was almost like he was the one experiencing the emotion, except there was a haze enough to indicate it belonged to someone else. Very strong emotions and thoughts would start to form into words, a similar sort of indistinct voice to the elements that only really took shape if he concentrated enough on the target at hand.

That evening, Hao had perched himself atop one of the walls in the garden outside the lodgings he’d procured for his group. The view of the stars was nothing in comparison to other places he’d experienced—even a few corners of the world still were free enough from the influence of humans to not cloud the sky, reminiscent of the world before modern technology had started to take the forefront. Still, it was a pleasant enough view, and with most of the neighborhood at rest, there weren’t any particularly loud thoughts to push themselves into his musings, only the occasional flicker of someone in a dream.

That relative silence made it much easier to hear whenever Aviantei entered the garden, even the dormant for the winter plant life murmuring in response to her presence. For a teenager, she was very skilled at controlling her outward displays of emotion in most situations, but there was a pulse of pride rolling around her mind. Hao waited until she was in his sights and raised a hand in a wave. “Good evening, Aviantei.”

“Good evening, Hao-dono,” she said, her voice controlled to ordinary conversation with that tone of respect she insisted on always using with him.

Hao patted the spot on the wall next to him. “Care to take a seat?”

Aviantei responded by pulling herself up, sitting a bit farther away than Hao had indicated, but not with any great distance between them. Since she was so reluctant to show her true feelings externally, Hao tended to make use of his powers to get the full picture. She was generally curious and thoughtful, so it could be entertaining to listen in to her thoughts whenever she was deep in thought. Even now, the question she wanted to ask was present enough that he didn’t have to exert the effort to hear it. But she also didn’t know about his ability, so Hao waited for her to speak the words instead of answering directly to her thoughts.

“Hao-dono,” Aviantei began after several moments of contemplation, “is there a reason you took my elements from me?”

She had figured it out after all. Hao smiled, picking up the small leather satchel from underneath the cover of his cloak and offering it back to her. Aviantei reached out to accept it, relief at having her personal mediums back in her hands conflicting with the faint annoyance that he’d bothered to pull such a trick. “I take it you ask because something happened?”

Aviantei nodded. “My Shaman Fight pre-test.” Using one hand to keep hold of the packet back on her lap, the other dipped into her pocket to retrieve a green Oracle Bell. The design had shifted from the previous two iterations into something more akin to modern pagers, but Hao easily recognized the hallmarks of Patch handiwork.

“Congratulations, then. You passed even with a handicap.” Aviantei simultaneously swelled with further pride at the praise and pouted a bit at the idea of having been tested. “Now, now,” Hao said, resisting the urge to chuckle as it would only agitate her further, “I didn’t do it out of malice, Aviantei. Opacho simply mentioned that you’d likely get tested soon, so I figured I’d give you a moment to show off. I wouldn’t have done it if I’d thought it would sincerely harm your chances of passing.”

Aviantei’s mind quickly reviewed her short altercation with her Patch Officiant, and the logical part of her started to wrangle down the more irritated emotions. Finally, she opened her mouth. “I just…don’t like the idea of getting caught off guard. If the Shaman Fight preliminaries have started, then he’s going to be here. If we run into each other, then…” She squeezed at her forearms, looking small for the first time in a long time.

In most circumstances, Aviantei was a confident young woman. In the past eight years since they’d crossed paths, she’d dedicated any moment she could get to her training, building her strength and refining her shamanic power. Though her Over Souls tended to be minimal enhancements of the elements’ natural capabilities, she’d practiced enough that even a mere leaf could be a deadly weapon in her hands. And yet there was still a part of her that worried that, when she crossed paths with the target of her vengeance, she wouldn’t be able to follow through on her ambitions, that she wouldn’t be strong enough.

“If you run into each other, I know that you’ll be fine,” Hao said, and Aviantei couldn’t control her emotions quickly enough to keep the surprise off her face. He gave her a reassuring smile. “I trained you myself, Aviantei, so I know what you’re capable of. He’s not going to stand a chance when the time comes. Or are you doubting my judgement?”

“N-no, of course not!”

Hao chuckled, and Aviantei flushed a bit in embarrassment for her sudden outburst. “Then be proud of your accomplishment and don’t back down. The Shaman Fight’s only just begun after all.” He reached out, tapping one of his gloved fingers against the elements packet still on her lap. “If it makes you feel better, I promise I won’t take it away from you anymore. But even if I did, I know you’d be able to make the most of your surroundings.”

Aviantei nodded, accepting the words. Part of that insecurity still remained, but her mood generally tended to brighten up after praise from Hao in general, so she would be fine for the time being.

“It’s getting late,” Hao said, dropping himself off the edge of the wall and back to the ground. “You should head to bed, Aviantei. If you want, I’ll go ahead and plan a reward for your successful qualification tomorrow. But for now you should rest.”

Aviantei almost protested, but the promise of having Hao do something for her tomorrow alleviated the desire to stay up and talk longer. She, too, landed on the ground, dipping in a short bow. “Good night, Hao-dono.”

“Good night, Aviantei.”

The walked inside together, then split paths when it came to heading to their separate rooms. Her mind was still active a bit longer, but it didn’t take too much time before her active thoughts slipped away in lieu of meditation and then further into sleep. Hao considered the options for the next day for some time, thinking about what he could pass off as a reward that Aviantei would accept without much fuss.

Eventually, he yawned into the dark, then drifted off to sleep himself.


	5. Part Five: Company

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Five: Company

* * *

The field outside her home was vast, no walls penning in the vast ranges of nature. A young girl hopped between different patches on the grass, taking care to step between the many different blooms there, all of the dancing in an array of colors. On occasion, she’d reach down and gather up seeds she could find to add to the garden back around the house.

And then she felt it.

The unnatural heat and malice curling in a flame, the underlying mana and the voices of the elements making the one who’d summoned it all the obvious.

The seeds scattered to the ground, and she sprinted back towards her home, all carefulness abandoned as she trampled over any flora in her path. It had only been a year, but she’d hoped it would last a bit longer. And yet that all-too familiar presence was a signal that it was over, and it was going to end in a worse way than she’d ever imagined.

She crested the hill, already finding flames licking at the home and smoke drifting into the bright sky above. She didn’t hesitate, throwing open the door to a wave of heat. The people she cared about were in danger.

And it was all her fault.

_“Mǔqīn! Fùqīn!”_

* * *

Ivy jolted up in bed, her lungs desperately racing for breath as panic flooded her mind. The dream was still so fresh and vivid that she could almost still feel the heat from the fire, could almost smell the burning corpses. She reached one hand to her necklace for comfort, the other fumbling to her nightstand, ultimately smacking against her elements packet and pushing mana outwards. The aroma of peppermint filled the air, helping to clear the thoughts and slowly making her relax.

It wasn’t her first time having that dream, but it had been some time since she’d had it. Having entered the Shaman Fight officially, the time was only drawing nearer until she’d have to face him, and the memories were going to have a field day with her until she brought an end to this years-long game.

Not wanting to spend her whole morning reflecting on a past she’d wasted enough time on, Ivy stepped out of bed and got dressed before going through her morning stretching routine. Her muscles moved and pulled in a familiar routine, ending with her arms stretched up towards the ceiling. Back before she’d really understood anything, she’d always finished in the pose, checking to see if she’d managed to grow tall enough to reach the ceiling, though that was a far ways off in those days.

“No,” she said out loud before her thoughts could go any further. “Leave it alone. You know he’s gone. Let the past _be._ ”

Using movement to distract herself further, Ivy hooked her belt and elements packet around her waist. From there, she spent a few minutes figuring out how to hang her Oracle Bell from the belt as well, not feeling as keen about hooking the thing around her forearm. An Oracle Bell was a Shaman Fight participant’s lifeline and source of information, so she needed to keep it close at hand.

While she was experimenting with the buttons to see what they could do—aside from an empty messages function, she’d stumbled across a clock and something that might have been a compass—there was a gentle knock at the door. It was still early in the morning, and Ivy didn’t generally have visitors. Even between her and the rest of Hao’s followers, there was an agreement that she wouldn’t bother them, and they wouldn’t bother her, which significantly narrowed down the options to two, and Opacho tended to not remember to knock.

Ivy turned towards the small mirror in the room to quickly check that she was presentable. “Yes?”

“Ah, Aviantei, you’re awake,” Hao’s voice said from the other end of the door. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” Even if she wouldn’t accept the request out of respect for him, Ivy still would have answered the same way. The dream and memories were just as stubborn as she was, and the continued to poke at her consciousness despite her best efforts—and that made her uneasy. At least, when the door opened to reveal Hao, some of his relaxed mood started to wear off on her. “Good morning, Hao-dono.”

“Good morning.” Hao paused a moment, looking at Ivy with a faint crease in his brow from concern. “Is something bothering you?” he asked, stepping closer.

Ivy bit at the inside of her cheek, working on controlling her expression. “Everything’s fine.” Not too early of an answer, not too late. Even tone of voice. She’d practiced it so much that she felt confident that very few people could see past the lie.

Hao just happened to be one of them, more than likely because he knew her so well from all the time they’d spent together. And while Ivy trusted him, taking care of her thoughts and memories wasn’t his problem. She was there to help him become Shaman King, to serve as a weapon against his enemies. It was her way of paying him back for all the training he’d given her to help in her revenge. Anything more than that would be excessive.

For a few extra beats, Hao looked at Ivy with a slight frown, and she thought he was about to pursue the topic further. Eventually, though, he let it go with a shake of his head. “Whatever you say, Aviantei.” He didn’t _believe_ her, but he was willing to accept that she didn’t want to talk about it. With a clap of his hands, Hao shifted the subject. “Now then. What do you say that we do something fun today?”

“Fun?” Ivy echoed.

Her skepticism was more than obvious in her tone, but it didn’t affect Hao’s response in the slightest. “Yes, fun. You’ve been working hard as of late, and we’ve spent so much time making sure we arrived back in Japan in time for the Shaman Fight. You passed your qualifier last night, after all. I did promise you some sort of congratulations gift, didn’t I?”

“Ah.” She’d almost forgotten in the disorientation of dealing with her memories, but he had said something like that the night before. Since Ivy wasn’t necessarily a material person, Hao’s idea of a present was to give her some space from the others. As they’d all been traveling as a group to arrive in Tokyo in time for the Shaman Fight, the prospect was inviting, especially when it would mean she’d likely get Hao to herself for at least a little bit. “So what are we doing then?”

“I know that you took Opacho around for a while the other week, but Tokyo is a big place. If you don’t mind, we could take a day to enjoy the city. Just the two of us.” Ivy’s heart beat just a bit faster, and she tried not to betray the full extent of her excitement. “How does that sound to you, Aviantei?”

“It sounds perfect.”

And so began their trip into the city.

* * *

Looking back over the day, nothing too exciting had happened. Ivy and Hao had wandered about as they liked, occasionally chatting and seeing what Tokyo had in store. Every now and then, Hao would note something about life back during his original lifetime, and Ivy would ask the occasional question. It felt so much like the early days of traveling with him that she felt mentally refreshed if not physically exhausted by the time she flopped back onto her bed later that evening.

_When’s the last time I felt so…happy?_

Normally, Ivy didn’t concern herself with her feelings. She’d been more than content with her training and being able to serve Hao, so she didn’t need much else other than to prepare for her vengeance. Those two things were her purpose; what else did she need?

Indulging too far in happiness could lead to it being torn away.

 _Ugh, shut up,_ she told herself, pressing her hands to her face. _I don’t wanna ruin this day by thinking too much. I enjoyed having Hao-dono’s company today. There’s nothing wrong with that._

She pulled herself up into a sit, intending to take a bath and get ready to bed. She worked on unhooking her elements packet and Oracle Bell from her belt first, but a small beeping sound stalled her. Her Oracle Bell had lit up, and she scanned over the text that had appeared on its screen.

_Attention: Your first fight in the preliminary round…_

Time, location—those were important, but they didn’t matter as much in the moment. What she wanted to know was the name of her first opponent.

Reading it aloud, Ivy’s voice was little more than a murmur:

“Tao Ren…”


	6. Part Six: Intermission

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Six: Intermission

* * *

She smelled the acrid stench of the smoke and the blistering heat of the flames, but her own manipulation of the elements prevented either of those things from harming her. The girl pressed forward, chasing after the source of the malice and mana in the air, broadcasting like a beacon.

She couldn’t feel anything to indicate that her parents were fighting back.

Stomping out licks of flame in the hall, she flung open the door to her parents’ room. The core of the elemental disturbance was there, along with what she didn’t want to see but had realistically known would be there: the burnt corpses of her parents, their ghosts nowhere to be seen as their bodies already began to crumble to ash like the walls around them.

The perpetrator wasn’t some tall figure that towered over the girl, but instead a boy only a couple of years older than her. He was dressed in purple and gold, not the slightest bit harmed by the inferno he’d created. His deep brown eyes had that lifeless sheen that was all too familiar to her, the look of someone that had recently taken a life and felt nothing about it—of a weapon that had done exactly what it’d been forged to do.

And then those eyes gained a dangerous spark as his previously impassive lips formed into a condescending smirk. “Well, well, well, what have we here?” he asked, his tone indicating that he’d known exactly who he would find. “If it isn’t Avi-hime. I see that you’ve been doing well here. Having fun playing pretend?”

The girl dug her nails into her palms hard enough to make hot blood form between her fingers. How _dare_ he—he had no right to call her that name anymore. “Why are you here?” she asked, sounding much braver than she felt. “Is this supposed to make me come back? I won’t. I’m not ever going back there!”

The boy facing her let out an affected sigh. “I figured you’d fight, but where do you intend to go?” He spread out his arms, indicating the destruction he’d caused. “You see what happens to those who protect traitors, Avi-hime.”

She’d been naïve to think that she could get away with anything like a normal life. She’d barely gotten a year before they’d hunted her down, not even hesitating to harm innocent people in their attempt to take her back. Even if she stayed alone, they’d destroy things anyway, because that was all they knew how to do.

She didn’t want to go back there.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something,” she said, forcing resolve to stand strong. There had been a time when she wasn’t afraid of him. “There’s a big world out there. How far are you gonna chase me?”

The boy paused a moment before bursting out into laughter—a sound of amusement and cruelty all in one. “I’ll take that as a challenge, Avi-hime!” he shouted, sounding excited. “Run away if you want. You’ll come home in time. But for now, I’ll give you a head start. So sleep.”

She recognized the ability the moment it shifted the elements, but didn’t have any medium on hand to counteract it. In the time that she’d been living without a care in the world, he’d trained harder, learning even the wood techniques that were outside his natural affinity. This one would push her to unconsciousness, and she wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it.

The boy walked past her to exit the room. The girl attempted to swipe at him, but her movements were already too sluggish, and he easily avoided her with little effort. “I’ll be going now. I gotta tell Master and Teacher about our new game. Get some rest. Good night, Avi-hime.”

“I won’t…forgive you…” The pent-up tears finally spilled out of her now drooping eyes as her strength abandoned her. She could only watch as the boy vanished from her sight, and she collapsed onto the floor. The last of her energy went into shouting after him with every ounce of hatred blossoming in her heart.

_“I won’t forgive you…! Ander!”_

And then she passed out, the images of her parents’ corpses replacing the blackness.

* * *

Though Hao had procured his followers some lodgings for once, they were taking care of the essentials like meals and such on their own. As such, Xang Ching had taken care of preparing breakfast for everyone, leaving their servings out and waiting in what was serving as the dining room. It was a rather casual affair, which meant that some had already eaten, some were in the process, some picked up their food then retreated back to their rooms, and some others still would awake later. So long as they were all qualifying for the Shaman Fight and successfully participating in their preliminary matches, Hao didn’t have any objections to how they spent their time.

At the moment, Turbine was helping with cleaning up what could be tended to of the morning’s dishes, while Damayaji and Boris were having another one of their small squabbles about their overlapping personality traits. It was a tame enough scene all things considered as Hao ate through some fresh baked bread piece by piece.

Though Aviantei’s entry wasn’t enough to disturb the others, the roiling thoughts in her mind were more than enough to give Hao pause. He’d woken up before her, so he hadn’t noticed anything to cause him concern before he stepped out to eat. With a little mental prying, he recognized the lingering traces of one of her recurring nightmares—the one where she encountered Ander after he had killed her parents and then treated the aftermath as a game.

If Aviantei hadn’t chosen to be the one to exact her revenge, Hao would have killed Ander himself.

Realizing that he was starting to grip onto his bread tight enough to squish it flat, and he popped the rest in his mouth before anyone could realize he was getting irritated. It was hypocritical of him to be angry, considering that he’d caused so many others harm, but the parallels to his own loss tended to take away any sense of logic from him.

“ _…three preliminary rounds. You must defeat two opponents to advance. Two losses or forfeitures mean disqualification and…_ ”

Aviantei’s lips fluttered as she muttered, her thoughts forcefully overlapping with the words. It took a moment, but Hao recognized her mantra as the rules of the Shaman Fight’s preliminary rounds. She’d taken to reciting it as a way to push the memories out of her mind. She was having moderate success, as every now and then her mental recitation would slip out of synch with her verbal one, but it was a smooth enough process—or at least one that was helping her navigate the morning following an intrusive and overall unwanted dream.

Providing an additional distraction was something Hao could handle.

“Good morning, Aviantei,” he said once she was within immediate earshot. He also gave her a smile, which made her quick recitation stumble for a completely different reason.

“ _…be ruled unable to fight and will lose the match,_ ” she finished softly, clearing her throat afterwards and dipping into a quick bow. “Good morning, Hao-dono.”

“It sounds to me like you’ve gotten news of your first preliminary match.” Aviantei’s cheeks tinted slightly pink at the referral to her recitation, but she nodded, nonetheless. Hao gestured to the chairs at his table. “Go ahead and take a seat. What’s your opponent’s name?”

Aviantei complied, before answering, “Tao Ren.”

“Another Chinese shaman, hm? I wonder what sort of abilities he has.” Hao expected for her mind to start working at building a strategy, but Aviantei was still in the process of reorienting herself in the present. Hao tugged at one of his gloves, revealing his own black and red Oracle Bell beneath. “Would you like me to check in on him and see how you compare?”

As Hao had spent the previous Shaman Fight amongst the Patch Tribe, he knew how to utilize the Oracle Bell’s hidden functions. While it didn’t have any comprehensive information on abilities, it did include a way to track the mana values of any Shaman Fight participants. The numbers weren’t certainties by any means, but they could still give a good picture of what a battle between any two shamans may look like.

“I may not know if I’m strong enough to beat him or not, nor do I care to,” Aviantei said after a moment. Oh, but Hao could still tell she was curious—she was just exhibiting restraint. “I don’t want to learn a number like that and get complacent. If I make one misstep and slack off, I might not be strong enough when it really matters.”

“Hm, I suppose that’s fair enough,” Hao said, though he disagreed. Aviantei had put in more than enough effort over the years to build his strength and skill. Out of curiosity, he’d looked over the mana values for all his followers shortly after getting his own Oracle Bell. It wasn’t much of an exaggeration to say that this Tao Ren would likely be extensively outclassed. Hao slipped his glove back on, making a note to check anyways for his own personal satisfaction later. “If you do ever want to know, though, Aviantei, all you’ll need to do is ask.”

“Actually, there’s something else I’d like to ask you instead.” Hao waved a hand for her to continue. “I still have a few weeks until my first match. I know we put training on the back burner while we were traveling, but I wouldn’t want to waste any time or effort I could put in now that could be essential.” She dipped her head. “If you don’t mind, I’d like for you to start teaching me again, Hao-dono.”

Hao smiled in a mix of amusement and acceptance. Such a thing wasn’t going to be necessary, but he wouldn’t deny anyone the opportunity to grow stronger, especially if they were on his side. “At this point I’m not sure there’s too much more I can teach you that won’t interfere with your own style of doing things, but I am willing to train you further if that’s what you want.” She nodded fast enough to send her short hair fluttering in the resulting breeze. “Very well. But, first things first, Aviantei.”

“Yes, Hao-dono?”

“Please have something to eat first. It won’t do you much good to practice on an empty stomach.”


	7. Part Seven: Conflict

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Seven: Conflict

* * *

The rules for the preliminary matches of the Shaman Fight were simple when you boiled them down. To move on, you needed to participate in a battle against another contender—using your Over Soul, naturally. You could participate in a total of three matches, and you could advance once you’d won two. Ivy’s first match was to take place in the evening at a nearby park.

Thanks to the colder weather, there hadn’t been much human foot traffic during the day. Ivy knew that because she’d been sitting in the park since morning, despite not needing to be present until much later. In part, it was for the strategic advantage: by meditating and letting her mana seep into the nature around her, she’d have much better control over the elements, which would add an extra force to having her personal collection on her.

The other part was impatience.

Ivy bounced her foot as she watched the color of the sky shift from blue to orange to a hazy purple. She’d spent the past two weeks training, and she wanted to confirm that those efforts had been enough.

_I need to be strong enough to defeat Ander. I can’t afford to lose here._

Recognizing that she wasn’t going to have any more productive meditation time with that state of mind, Ivy hopped up from her seat and did a few warmup stretches just in case her opponent decided to blindside her. She took in a long breath of the relatively fresh air, stretching her arms up towards the increasingly darkening sky. The lights in the park flickered on in their timers, and then the wave of mana erupted.

Though non-shamans didn’t have a lot of it, everyone had at least a little mana. Aside from simply being a form of energy to manifest spirits into a more physical form, it also shifted in response to people’s emotions. Situations like sensing ill intent or feeling someone’s gaze on you were actually the subconscious responding to the feel of mana. And when you _were_ aware of it, discerning those feelings became all the easier.

At the core of this mana was pure malice, accented by the unmistakable determination to do whatever it took to win. The edges of that feeling were sharp enough to tell that there weren’t be any hesitation to cause death if that was what it took to achieve victory. Even so, buried underneath all of that was a feeling of sadness, so subtle that it was a subconscious emotion more than anything.

The source of that mana himself had arrived, and atop horseback no less. He wore a fur-trimmed cape over his black and gold Chinese clothes, and his black hair was spiked up into a tongari to help focus his chi. Ivy judged him to be about the same age as her, and, based on the hard look in his golden eyes and the sensation of his mana, he’d already willingly taken another’s life, the same as her.

So this was Tao Ren.

“So you’re my opponent, huh?” he asked, his tone sounding as superior as his entrance. “You should feel honored; you get to fall by my hands.”

“Charming,” Ivy muttered, resisting the urge to attack him on the spot. There was a difference between confidence and declaring victory over an opponent when you didn’t know a thing about their abilities. Though she knew it wouldn’t do her any favors to jump the gun before the match had even started, she undid the clip keeping her elements packet shut, and her agitation was making holding a calm exterior more difficult than she would have liked to admit. “Unfortunately for you, I don’t plan to fall. I have every intention to win this match.”

Ren let out a laugh, the sound all arrogance and volume. “Trust me, you don’t stand a chance. If you know what’s good for you, you should just forfeit this match right now. Seeing as your opponent is the one who will become Shaman King.”

_Hao-dono’s going to become Shaman King._

Ivy opened her mouth to retort at the exact moment that their Oracle Bells began to beep. She tilted the screen up from her waist as Ren looked at his own gold and black Oracle Bell on his wrist.

_Shaman Fight countdown start._

With the screen flashing numbers from ten towards zero, Ivy let go of the device and turned to face Ren once more, stepping forward. “If you think you can win, then by all means, try. I’ll enjoy putting you in your place.”

Ren laughed once more, quickly assembling a kwan dao with practiced ease before brandishing the weapon with a flourish. “You’ll regret your impertinence to the future king.” He tossed off his cape, a cruel smirk forming on his face. Their Oracle Bells let out simultaneous long pitches as the signal to start the match. “You are now my prey! Bason—to your blade!”

Ivy only caught a glimpse of his spirit ally before it merged with Ren’s weapon, creating a spiked protrusion not unlike a mace below the kwan dao’s blade. Ren charged, his Over Soul glowing with a pulse of golden mana. That sensation alone was enough for her to sense the direction of the attack, and she utilized Hao’s Shamanic Oracle technique to dodge the blow, jumping upwards and landing on the top of blade as it swung down towards the earth.

Ren’s haughty expression faltered, but only for an instant. “Impressive. Nevertheless, foolish. Are you trying to get yourself disqualified? You know that the rules require you to keep an Over Soul active during the match. So where is yours?”

“ _Kau._ ”

The leaves reacted, with both her personal collection and some from the surrounding trees moving in a larger scale version of her attack from her qualifier against Chrom. Ren flinched at the first strike, jerking back his weapon to knock some of the projectiles away. Ivy landed safely on her feet as blood spilt from Ren’s shallow wounds, each one tracing red lines across his skin. They were superficial injuries at best, but her leaves were sharp enough to make a point.

“This is my Over Soul,” Ivy said, plucking one of the leaves now hovering around her from the air. Mya’s spirit pulsed from within, and her shadow was visible for a moment, her once cobalt eyes and hair now an emerald green. “To answer your earlier question, it’s all around you.”

“Onmyoji,” Ren said, correctly identifying her specialization. Even so, he didn’t falter at the pain from his injuries or at the prospect of a fresh challenge. Well then, let’s see how you fare against this. _Chou Golden Chūka Zanmai! Zhong Hua Zhan Wu!_ ”

The resulting attack was much more destructive than Ren’s previous charge, mostly in thanks to it being on a much larger scale. The kwan dao lashed out several times, and even some of the nearby trees had been reduced to nothing more than broken branches and general debris. And that was what made it so satisfying to see the look on Ren’s face when she emerged from the attack not looking any worse for wear.

The Shamanic Oracle—a technique that let you read the flow of mana to avoid the attack on an oncoming Over Soul. Yes, you had to have the physical ability to get out of the way of whatever was coming after you, but it was an easy enough thing to do with practice. Ren’s Chūka Zanmai was quick, yes, but Opacho and Luchist were faster, and that was to say little of Hao himself, whose Over Soul could materialize in a fraction of a second.

Except she soon felt the warmth of blood across her left shoulder, along with the sting of pain. It wasn’t anything that would be fatal, but it was still enough of an injury to give her pause.

_Either I got complacent or he’s got potential—or maybe both. Either way…_

“Maybe you’ve earned a bit of that arrogance after all,” she said, starting to grin. Ren wasn’t much as he was now, but he still held _promise._ “You’re the first person in a long time to injure me this much in a long time. So I’m going to make both of our lives simpler.”

She shifted the intention of her Over Soul from offensive to a different technique that sent a sweet aroma with an undertone of sourness through the air. Ren seemed to recognize the intent of the move, but his expression was already becoming drowsy, which didn’t pair the best with his forming sneer.

“I’ll win my next match, and you’ll win your next two,” Ivy continued, stepping closer and not caring that she was within the kwan dao’s attack range. “Then you’ll train like hell to become stronger. We’ll meet again in the next round and have something closer to a fair fight.” Ren had attempted to use his weapon to hold himself up, but he was already sinking towards the ground in unconsciousness. Though it wasn’t necessary by any means, Ivy shifted her focus to healing his injuries in addition to her own.

“You fought well…Lián.”

It was the Chinese pronunciation of his name that finally triggered the cogs of memory. The Tao family was well known for their shamanic prowess thanks to their lineage, so she’d naturally heard of them. It was another thing altogether to understand where she’d specifically heard Ren’s name before.

Cursing under her breath, Ivy left the unconscious and healed Ren on the ground and went to leave, pressing her palm over the blood on her now almost fully healed injury.

* * *

“Now play nice, you two.”

In later years, the irony of those words would be even greater. Even at the age of five, Ivy almost considered laughing. She didn’t “play nice,” regardless of the situation, and it wasn’t expected of her, either. Being dumped into a training hall instead of an ordinary room only cemented that fact. The good news was that her new “playmate” looked just as disgusted by the remark as she felt.

Deciding that she’d rather get in some mediation time than put up with some brat six months her junior, Ivy sat herself on the floor and tried to practice listening to the elements once more.

“I heard you don’t have a spirit ally.”

Ivy peaked out of the corner of her eye to see a smug look on Tao Ren’s face. He’d remained standing, and his posture was taking advantage of the create difference in height as he looked down on her. Knowing that killing this kid was specifically _not_ what Teacher and Master had had in mind when they’d tossed the two of them in a room together, Ivy decided to at least give an answer before he could pester her further.

“No.”

“But you’re a shaman, right?”

“Obviously.”

“So why don’t you have one yet?” He was trying to get to her, which was partially working. Ren beamed with pride at the spirit of a Chinese warlord hovering behind him—likely one that had served his family for generations.

There were also potential spirit allies waiting for her, but Ivy was to finish her training working directly with the elements themselves first. A dedicated spirit ally was a benefit, yes, but being able to commune into the souls present in nature first would allow for better control in the end. And, thanks to the rigorous routine she’d gone through, Ivy had plenty enough practice to easily take advantage of what was present in the room:

Water by condensing moisture in the air, fire by igniting the oxygen, a floor fashioned out of stone, the supports in the walls steels. Even without any wood to utilize, it wouldn’t be a fair fight. But fighting was more than likely off limits, so Ivy tuned to insults.

“Maybe it’s because I’m not a spoiled brat like you.”

Ren’s frail temper snapped, and he charged with an angry yell. Ivy took advantage of his rash state of mind and blocked the move, quickly transitioning into flipping him over her shoulder. He’d barely hit the ground before she delivered a mana enhanced kick to his stomach that sent him rolling almost all the way to the wall. Ren was quick in that he attempted to leap back to his feet for a second round, but Ivy had already manipulated the stone in the floor to fashion restraints around his ankles and wrists. He struggled, but Ivy didn’t pay it any mind as she moved to stand over him, planting a foot on his already bruised stomach in victory.

“Wanna try that again?” she asked.

“Come on, Avi-hime, you’re not supposed to turn sparring into war.”

In the middle of their scuffle, the door had opened. Ander was in the doorway, trying to look stern but fragments of pride and amusement slipping through instead. Behind him was Ren’s older sister, Tao Jun, whose eyes had gone wide at the predicament her brother was in.

“Don’t be silly,” Ivy said, stepping off Ren and releasing his restraints. Somewhat cowed, he didn’t immediately try to leap at her again. “You and I know this is nothing close to what war looks like, Andie.”

Ander was the next one to lose his temper. “I told you to stop calling me ‘Andie’!”

“I’ll stop calling you ‘Andie’ when you stop calling me ‘Avi-hime’!” Reaching their usual impasse, the argument stalled out, and Ivy flicked some of her short hair aside. “Besides, little Lián here attacked first. This was just self-defense.”

“H-hey!” Ren protested, color forming on his cheeks. He sat up, brushing aside Jun’s attempts to check on him. “Who are you calling little? I’m only six months younger than you!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Would you prefer ‘Ren-chan’?”

Ren had apparently learned enough Japanese to recognize the diminutive honorific and the insult that came with it, his tongari spiking like his anger level. If Jun hadn’t had her hands on his shoulders, he might have gone for a second attack. “Absolutely not! We’re _guests_ , here. Don’t you respect _anyone_?”

“Of course I do,” Ivy said, staring at him as if it was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard.

_“I respect those who are stronger than me.”_

* * *

Knowing that Aviantei would likely want some privacy to report back the results of her match, Hao waited for her outside their lodgings, once more perched on the wall in the garden. Opacho sat with him, the small girl excited from her own victory earlier that day.

“Hello, Aviantei,” Hao said once she arrived. He took note of the blood staining her jacket, less worried about the injury as he knew she could heal herself and more curious about the opponent that had caused it. “Did you win your match?”

“Yes,” Aviantei said, the answer obvious. Even so, she didn’t seem as satisfied as Hao had thought she would be. A quick glance at her thoughts revealed that she wasn’t as worried about getting hurt in the process as her recognition of her opponent and his connection to her past.

“Aviantei-onee-chan!” Opacho said, hopping to her feet. “Opacho win first match, too!”

Aviantei gave a weak looking smile. “Oh, yeah? That’s great.” Her hand pushed up against the bloody gash along her shoulder once more. “Forgive me, but I’ve made a bit of a mess of myself. I’d like to go take a bath and wash this off.”

Hao nodded in approval. “Do what you need to do. There will be plenty of time to talk things over tomorrow.” Aviantei dipped her head in a bow before retreating, her thoughts still a mess.

“Hao-dono,” Opacho said, tugging at his cloak, “Aviantei-onee-chan okay?”

With a reassuring smile, Hao patted Opacho’s head as best he could. “Don’t worry, Opacho. All she needs is time.” They may be rattling in the moment, but one or two unexpected surprises weren’t going to be enough to knock Aviantei off the path she’d chosen. “You and I both know she’s very determined. She’ll be fine.”

Opacho nodded, looking relieved by the reassurance. For several moments, the two sat in silence, until Opacho opened her mouth once more.

“Hao-dono.”

“Yes, Opacho?”

“Aviantei-onee-chan fight an X-Law in two months.”


	8. Part Eight: Pride

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Eight: Pride

* * *

"Hao-dono, who are these people?" an eleven-year-old Ivy questioned of her master.

"They are the X-Laws," Hao responded.

"As in the Ten Commandments?"

"Clever as always, Aviantei."

"What is their purpose?"

Hao hesitated before answering, which gave Ivy a bad feeling. "Their purpose is to destroy me."

The girl clenched her fist. What gave them the right? There was a momentary silence.

"Hao-dono, why are we here?" Ivy finally asked.

Hao softly chuckled. "We are here to recruit their leader. I have a feeling he will be quite… _useful_ in the future."

* * *

When Ivy came to think of it, having him on their side had proven to be useful. Unlike her first match where she had practically zero insight on how her opponent would fight, this time she knew exactly what was up her enemy's sleeve. Therefore, her two months were spent alternating between learning new onmyoji techniques from Hao and participating in battle with Luchist. What better way to prepare to fight someone than to go up against their former teacher?

Marco. Ivy would have recognized that name anywhere, though she had personally hoped the next time she would have to see it was on a tombstone. Unfortunately, it had appeared on her Oracle Pager first. She would have _liked_ to be the reasoning behind that particular grave marker, there was no doubt about that. To be honest, it could have been easily arranged within the parameters of this match. However, Hao had said that there were reasons the X-Laws needed to remain an active factor, so that plan had to be tossed out a nearby window.

Speaking of Ivy's master, he was sitting beside her with his usual complacent smile. Hao had absolutely insisted on coming with her to this match, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Ivy almost wished he hadn't. Marco was sure to recognize the boy, and that would just turn the battle into one of morals and loyalty. That appeared to be of little effect to Hao. If anything, it seemed to increase his eagerness even further.

" _I simply want to see how much you've grown, Aviantei,_ " he had said. " _It's been so long since I've watched you have a real fight and I won't have another opportunity for quite a while._ "

Ivy almost wanted to curse. It was as if he was saying she was guaranteed to win this match and a third wouldn't be necessary. Sure, she was pretty confident about the outcome herself, and that _was_ what she had told Ren, but there was something she didn't fully comprehend. Why was it that Hao held such a belief in his follower that she didn't even possess herself?

As opposed to the use of profanities, Ivy simply inhaled and exhaled. It was no good to become stressed out before the fight even began. That just impaired your sense of battle logic, which was far too risky for a fight as pivotal as this one. No, she needed to relax and find her center; otherwise, the elements would become hard to control. Eyes closed, she listened to their voices, once again allowing both her mana and aura to become part of the surrounding landscape.

She was not exactly sure as to how much time had passed, but Ivy did know the only reason she sensed Marco at all was because he was moving. Unlike with Ren, Marco saw no need to broadcast his strength. In fact, once she tracked it down, his mana was calm and peaceful, almost like he was willing to try to negotiate before things had to turn into fighting. There was no doubt he had yet to notice Hao's presence.

Ivy didn't even have to open her eyes to know what he looked like. After all, that scene from her memory was as clear as the present events to her. Ivy's memory was perfect in remembering events down to the last tiny, insignificant detail. At least, as long as it wasn't something she wanted to forget. She could see him in her mind's eye: the blond hair, the glasses, and the pure white X-Laws uniform. Yet another difference in attire, she realized, seeing as her own garments were all black other than the bright green jacket with sort sleeves she had. Since the last outfit was now cut up and stained with blood, it had been undoubtedly time for change. She finally decided to open her eyes.

Marco was walking towards the place where Ivy and Hao had decided to sit. The X-Law stopped a few feet away, his eyes narrowing at the latter of the two. The girl stood up defensively in from of her master, determined not to give a centimeter, mentally or physically.

"Good luck, Aviantei," Hao cheerfully told her, not affected by the tense atmosphere in the slightest. Ivy simply nodded.

"So you work for Hao," Marco sternly observed, pulling his gun out of the holster at his waist and aiming it. "Then this match shall end the same way for you as this tournament ends for him: _Death._ "

He pulled the trigger.

If there was one thing Ivy hoped she never had to explain to a person who couldn't see spirits, it was angels. After all, the imagery one was normally met with among humans at the word was that of strikingly beautiful beings dressed in flowing, white garments with soft, feathery wings sprouting out of their backs and glowing halos floating above their heads. In comparison to the Over Soul that was produced… Well, Ivy could say that it was white. Oh, and it had wings, too. Other than that, there wasn't much else you could apply in terms of similarity of angels to the colossal, charging robot that was Michael the archangel.

There was a reason the terrain for this match was a barren landscape with only the occasional protruding rocky structure on its horizon. An Over Soul that size simply needed room to maneuver. Of course, Ivy gained a certain advantage, too. For what she lost in vegetation, she gained back in earth and mineral deposits that would transfer nicely into metals with just the right coercion.

Not even remotely perturbed by Marco's lack of patience to wait just a few more minutes to start the fight or the massive mechanical mass baring an equally enormous sword towards her, Ivy knelt down and spread her right hand over the surface of the ground. Focusing her efforts there, she condensed every faint trace of mineral and metal she could find together and dragged them to the surface in the form of a large, steel shield. A deafening clang resounded through the area as Michael's blade struck the barrier.

"Hao-dono, may I request that you please relocate yourself to a safer location?" Ivy softly asked the boy still calmly located a few feet behind her.

"Of course, Aviantei."

Ivy stood up and dismissed her wall back into the earth, smiling. "Good. Now that that's been taken care of, the fun can really begin. Don't you think so, Marco?"

The man pushed up his glasses, glaring. "Such impertinence," he replied. "It seems you share the same cocky attitude as your master. The punishment of God shall be delivered upon you by the hands of His angels."

Times like this made learning the Shamanic Oracle so worthwhile. The concept of pulling up another shield for every single one of Marco's attacks was an extremely tedious and stupid one. So when Michael charged again, Ivy simply rode the mana waves to stand in front of the one she was truly facing.

"Aren't God and His angels supposed to work in the ways of the divine?" she posed. "According to you, Hao-dono is the embodiment of evil, and, for simply choosing to follow him, so am I. And yet, here I am, after two of your attacks, still standing. Tell me, Marco. Are you sure your angels are even genuine? Can you guarantee that your 'God' truly exists? Will you even consider that that my master and I may not be really as evil as you believe us to be?"

Marco pressed the barrel of his gun to Ivy's chest above her heart. "Enough of your nonsense. This time you die."

The Chinese girl utilized the Shamanic Oracle once more, her path of travel ending behind her opponent. "Not a chance," she stated. "As long as he's still alive I absolutely refuse to do anything so stupid."

"Foolish girl. Your pathetic powers are futile against the X-Laws."

Marco turned to aim his weapon once more, only to have his target catch it with two hands and shove the barrel back to her heart. Ivy had intended for this match to end the same way as the one against Ren, with her putting the enemy into a state of unconsciousness and no real damage done. Marco's words had changed that.

An interesting fact that Ivy had learned from fighting with Luchist was that the medium for an archangel Over Soul was not the gun, but the bullets that it fired. After that, commands were relayed via the shaman's connection to the Over Soul, and the original weapon simply remained without a ghost inhabitant. Which made it far more than fair game to be possessed by someone else.

Ivy and Marco were on opposite sides of a battle much greater than their own simple fight, honor-bound to eventually destroy each other. Some like Marco may have viewed it as a conflict between good and evil, but Ivy simply saw it as a disturbance between two people and nothing more. And then Marco had insulted her pride.

Now she would destroy his.

Ivy had pointed the gun at her heart because it was the source of energy for her, where all her mana stemmed from. Since Marco wasn't an onmyoji, the elements that made up the weapon didn't recognize him as their master, but Ivy wasn't taking any chances. She had pumped up the gun full with her mana and was fully prepared to use the Elemental Language to command it.

" _Sal… Di!_ "

And with that, the weapon shattered into an infinite number of pieces.

Since a shaman was only as strong as their mental state, Ivy knew this battle was hers. She switched mediums to her leaves. "Now sleep," she commanded. _You bastard._ Hao chose to appear before the girl at the same time Marco's body landed with a small cloud of dust arising from the point of impact.

"Congratulations, Aviantei. It was a brilliant battle," Hao happily commented.

Ivy looked to her master's smiling face, wishing that just for once she knew what the hell he was thinking. To her, this fight had been won simply because Marco had no clue as to how far reaching her abilities could be. Ander did. There was no way she could win like this.

"Hao-dono… I'm going to become stronger."

"Of course, Aviantei."

Ivy finally let herself be proud of her victory, knowing that she was another step closer to her goal. A smile made its way onto her face. She then turned the conversation to a lighter topic.

"So, Ren-chan fights Yoh-dono in five months, right?"


	9. Part Nine: Observance and Introduction

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Nine: Observance and Introduction

* * *

She was fourteen.

Ivy wasn't exactly sure how she hadn't realized it before, but somewhere between qualifying, training, and her battles, it had happened. This struck her as odd, considering that even during all the years traveling she had never once forgotten about her birthday. And now… It had been so long since the thing had occurred that it wouldn't be much longer until it would happen again. And if she was fourteen, so was he.

"Hao-dono, how is it that I missed both of our birthdays?" Ivy questioned of her master.

"Ah, yes, our birthdays," Hao mused. "Other than the fact that we're the only ones in our group that are fully aware of each other's birthdates, I suppose I'll have to take the blame for that one. Both Mya and I agreed that this year you would want to focus much more on your training than anything else. All apologies, Aviantei."

"It's fine," Ivy stated, pulling her knees closer to her chest. "Happy extremely belated birthday, Hao-dono."

"The same to you, Aviantei."

Ivy didn't look at her at her master, but continued to stare at the building's ceiling. They were in Mimata Hall, just outside of Mate Cemetery. She was slightly annoyed by the large amounts of people already there, but she couldn't blame them. After all, this was the place where the official opening ceremony for the Shaman Fight would take place. The match between Asakura Yoh and Tao Ren.

Hao had taken the privilege of explaining that particular factor a while ago. Yoh was Hao's younger twin brother, and therefore a part of his soul. Though being reborn as a twin hadn't been a part of Hao's original plan, he saw nothing wrong with having his other half run around of his own devices. He would simply wait until the time at which he could reabsorb that part of himself, though how her master intended to do that was a complete mystery to Ivy.

"Hao-dono, I understand why it's so important for Yoh-dono to win… So does that make it wrong for me wanting Ren-chan to beat him?"

Hao simply gave his usual chuckle. This time Ivy turned to face him. "You may want to refrain from calling him '-chan,' Aviantei. He is older than you, after all, and I don't foresee him being pleased by the concept."

The Chinese girl blew a strand of hair out of her face and went to lean against the wall she was next to. "Oh, wah, six months. Something tells me he can live."

"As for your question, there's nothing wrong with wanting something other than what I desire. I've told you before, Aviantei, your will is your own. As long as you stay by my side, what you think won't change the truth."

Ivy redirected her gaze to the large monitor on the other side of the room. Since it was now broadcasting Yoh and Ren's battle, it was probably safe to say that it had been wired into some of the Patch's traditional handicrafts.

Ivy almost laughed. It appeared that Ren had gotten taller. And Yoh… Well, there was no doubt he was Hao's twin. They both shared the same raven black hair, though Yoh kept it shorter than his brother's. The eyes were the same, too, that auburn shade, which made Ivy uncomfortable to see coming from someone else. She decided to focus in the fact that the battle appeared to have come to a standstill.

"They ran out of mana at the same time," Ivy muttered. "Who's gonna call foul?"

"That, Aviantei, depends entirely on Silva."

The Chinese girl watched as the officiant revealed himself to the two combatants before speaking. " _You ran out of mana at exactly the same instant. This match is a draw._ "

"No duh," Ivy softly criticized. "Now you have two participants of the Shaman Fight, each with one win, one loss, and one draw and only one opening. Who does _that_ go to?"

" _We'll have to turn to the Great Spirit for this one,_ " Silva continued. " _Well, Goldva?_ "

The rest of the Native American officiants appeared on the screen, leaded by the head of the tribe. He was the one who spoke. " _The Great Spirit has spoken. They will both go on to the Shaman Fight._ "

"Well, it looks like we both got what we wanted, Aviantei," Hao remarked before standing up. "Shall we go?"

Ivy nodded and got up herself, knowing that it wasn't much longer until the fun _really_ began.

* * *

**One Month Later**

Yokocha U.S. Naval Air Base, that was where they were to meet. It was the prelude to the next part of the Shaman Fight, which would take place in America. The reason they were at this particular location was to take a plane there. And Hao had immediately gone off to see if he could find Yoh. According to him, it seemed like it was about time he introduced himself to his younger brother. Ivy just wished he had at least waited to take her with him. She knew perfectly well that her master was far more than capable than taking care of himself; she just didn't want him going too far.

So Ivy hastily followed behind Hao, not finding him until he was already far into his conversation with Yoh and company. Ivy took a wild guess that her master had said something to anger Ren, which really wasn't that difficult, since the Chinese boy had drawn his weapon.

"You'll never be a king," he stated. " _Because you're going to die right now!_ "

"Dammit," Ivy muttered as Ren charged. Why did that brat have to be so stubborn? She flipped her packet at her waist open and pulled out a small piece of metal. "Let's go, Mya."

"Yes, milady."

 _Klink!_ With the Shamanic Oracle Ivy had appeared before Ren and had halted his weapon with her now metal covered hand. The boy stared in shock. Was he stupid? He had tried to attack an unknown enemy without even engaging his Over Soul.

"Come now, Ren-chan, stand down. If you don't, you'll most likely die."

"Ivy…?" In a second Ren regained his usual demeanor. "What the hell do you mean I'll most likely die?"

"Amateurs," Hao remarked from his perch on the Spirit of Fire's hand. "Still a hothead, eh, Ren? I thought you found some answers when you went home." If Ivy's appearance had surprised Ren, then this was worse. "Or… are you just upset because your friend got hit?"

" _You creep!_ "

"How do I know all this? It's easy. A king must know everything."

Ivy shoved the Kwan Dao away and disengaged her Over Soul. "To answer your initial question, Ren-chan," she said, "if you keep this up either the Spirit of Fire will simply decide that it's tired of dealing with you, I'll step in to protect my master…"

"Your…" Ren started.

"…or one of them will do the same." Ivy was referencing the rest of Hao's followers that had appeared on the scene. She sighed. "Hao-dono, haven't you had enough fun for now? We'd better get back or we'll miss the plane to the battleground."

"Right," Hao agreed. Then he turned to face his brother. "Yoh. I came here because I liked what I saw in your last match. You'll make a fine servant for me, just like these others. Do your best to survive so you can serve the future king."

* * *

Ten hours on a plane was bearable. Ten hours on plane in what was supposed to be a twelve-hour flight that would soon end by falling thousands of feet to the ground sitting in the middle of Hao's followers wasn't as much. Ivy sighed and leaned back in the plane seat next to her master. At least this was going to be over soon, even if it wasn't going to be in a way the majority of the plane's passengers would expect.

"It's been ten hours since we left Japan…" Ryou laughed. "They're all so carefree, eh, Hao-sama?"

"They have no idea that the Shaman Fight has already begun," his brother, Zen added. Together, the two made up Boz, a monk rock musical duo. The comment made Hao smile.

"It's not their fault," Yamada defended.

"Only the officiants and we know that," Luchist continued.

"But wasn't the 'Shaman Fight in Tokyo' supposed to be in _Tokyo_?" Mattie queried.

"Don't nitpick," Marie scolded.

"The Shaman Fight will determine who the King of the Earth shall be," Canna stated. "The whole world's our battleground."

"Tokyo was just the starting point," Turbine said.

"They had to get us all on one plane, after all," Tecolote explained.

"Still, this is a mean trick the Patch are pulling," Boris commented.

"They wouldn't be so calm if they knew what was about to happen," Blocken remarked.

"You mean if they knew some of them were about to die?"

Xang Ching's words made Hao's smile grow. "Maybe being carefree is good," the boy casually said, but it would require nerves of steel right now."

"That's for sure, Hao-sama!" And the group burst into uproars of laughter.

"We're almost there, Hao-dono," Opacho spoke up, finally making Ivy listen. In all honesty, the little girl's voice was the only one she wanted to hear at the moment. "Goldva will make the announcement in three seconds."

With a _blip_ , the Great Chieftain's face appeared on the many monitors along the jumbo jet. " _Your attention please. Thank you for flying with us today._ "

The passengers' voices slowly spoke as their owners woke up.

"Huh?"

"We there already?"

" _We are currently forty-thousand feet above North America. We are approximately seven-hundred and fifty miles from the Patch Village._ "

"We've still got a long way to go?"

"Why did they wake us up?"

" _We would like all of you… to make your way to the Patch Village on your own from this point._ " All the voices became silent as the words sunk in. " _Only those who arrive in three months will be accepted. There are no clues. If you cannot get there in time, you will be eliminated._ "

Voices quickly rose again:

"What's going on?"

"They tricked us?"

" _Bear in mind that the Shaman Fight is an opportunity to display the strength of your spirit. And now the first test begins. Your mission is to reach the Patch Village within three months. Now gather your belongings. As soon as this transmission ends… The Patch Jumbo Jet Over Soul of the officiants will dematerialize._ "

And with a resounding _pop_ , the plane disappeared, leaving its passengers to fall, screaming into the air.

Hao wasted no time in summoning his Over Soul, and soon he, along with the rest of his followers, was riding on the large spiritual entity more commonly known as the Spirit of Fire. Now standing, Ivy looked into the groups of people. Some of them had come prepared, but others hadn't. People were going to die, just as Xang Ching had said. Oh, well, they weren't her responsibility. All that mattered was that she saw how Ren fared. After all, what was the point off all the motivation she had handed him if he didn't survive? Of course, if he couldn't survive this, than it probably wasn't even worth it in the first place…

"Amateurs."

Hao's comment brought Ivy back into reality. She focused he attention in the direction her master was facing. She could see a blue-haired boy who she knew to be named Horohoro attempting to use his snowboard-based Over Soul to prevent the upcoming crash.

"He doesn't have nearly enough mana to sustain that," Hao continued. "We're still thirty-thousand feet up. Your mana will give out and you'll slam into the ground."

" _What?_ " Horohoro angrily shouted. " _You jerk!_ "

Hao continued to have his amused expression nevertheless. "Ren's Over Soul can fly, but not that far… You guys are in your biggest pickle ever. Want a ride?"

" _Never! Everyone else is in the same boat we are!_ "

Ivy sighed. She barely knew this boy and yet he was already annoying her. There was no real reason to get irritated by this, though. She might as well use this time to give some final motivation. With no real interest in the continuing conversation or apprehension at the concept, Ivy leapt off Hao's Over Soul.

"Ren-chan!" Using the elements to manipulate the speed of her fall was simple. The boy she was now addressing blinked as Ivy came to be in front of him. "You better survive this. Otherwise I won't forgive you."

From above, Hao's voice continued to speak to the others. "Well, if you won't accept my help, what can I do? I'll look forward to finding out how you survived this at the Patch Village. Are you coming, Aviantei?"

"Sorry, Hao-dono!" Ivy apologized before focusing her energy to have the elements give her a boost. She let out a small laugh before returning to her position on the Spirit of Fire.

"You'd better think of something quick," Hao advised Yoh's group. "Look! The ground's coming up fast!"

"Good luck, Ren-chan!" Ivy happily called, waving. Turning away, she chose to look up into the stars. If she had chosen not to go with Hao, would she have survived this? Yes, it was only a simple matter of manipulating the elements. So Ander would survive. Ivy exhaled and sat down. No point in getting worked up over him now. There were at least three months before all that would come to pass.


	10. Part Ten: Emotion

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Ten: Emotion

* * *

It had taken nearly a month, but they were there. Or, rather, almost there. They had come to Mesa Verdede, which was essentially the gateway to the Patch Village. At least, it was for the lucky ones. Ivy looked over the ruins, rather impressed by the view. Of course, she knew the real view was deep underground.

"Hao-dono, why did we send the others on ahead of us?" the girl asked, sitting on one of the many rocks in the area. In reality, they had been here a few days. It made no sense that when they finally ventured down, they would go separately. Opacho sat beside her, smiling up at their master with no particular hint of worry.

"The others are greeting Yoh," Hao explained. "They have been instructed to kill his friends. It will be a good experience for him."

"But, Hao-dono—!" Ivy began to protest. If Yoh's friends were killed, then that meant…

"Don't worry, Aviantei," Hao continued with no worry concerning her outburst. "I've already taken your little game into consideration. Yoh needs powerful allies for support. If they're strong enough to do that, this will prove positive for them as well." He then gave an assuring smile to his two followers. "There's also someone whom I want to meet. After that, we'll continue on to the Patch Village."

Ivy wished there was something she could lean back against. Since there wasn't, she tilted her head back and looked into the clouds. There was no point in questioning Hao about this person or his reasons for meeting them. After all, she would find out on her own, and if not, there was plenty of time to ask later.

Ivy blinked as a helicopter crossed her field of vision. She followed the piece of machinery as it begun to descend. Apparently, it was going to land in the area. Hao turned his attention to the helicopter as well.

"Ah, it appears that it's time. Come along, Opacho, Aviantei."

"Yes, Hao-dono!" Opacho excitedly said hopping of the rock, not once falling behind him Ivy was much slower in her reaction. It took her a moment, but she did stand up and follow along, cracking her neck.

"Oh, Aviantei," Hao added, "the person we are dealing with tends to pay significant attention to the abilities of others. There are very few who realize how far the reaches of your powers are and I wish to keep it that way. With those things in mind, I would like to request that you keep a low profile during this conversation."

"Yes," Ivy softly agreed. Though the words suggested that something could happen, she decided there was no real reason for concern. And even if there was, Hao was far more than capable of taking care of himself.

What occurred was a conversation between Hao and a girl with light brown hair and a red bandana acting as a scarf named Anna. From what Ivy could gather from the words exchanged, this girl was Yoh's fiancée. Accompanying her were a small boy and a pink-haired girl who Ivy would later come to recognize as Manta Oyamada and Tamao Tamamura respectively.

The topic mainly discussed was the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu, a book that Hao had written in his original life containing information of many powerful shamanic techniques. This particular volume was now in Anna's possession with every intention to make Yoh stronger. Hao seemed to be perfectly fine with the concept.

Whether it was because he just sometimes said things that spurred on such actions or she simply had a bad temper (in later years, Ivy would recognize that both of these were at fault, but it was mostly the latter), Anna found reason to attempt to slap Hao. The onmyoji easily blocked the assault and then pushed his failed attacker against one of the nearby rocks. Ivy could take the action; it was the words that set her off.

"Now I like you even more. As I expected, you're the perfect wife for the Shaman King."

That statement made Ivy want to protest and to protest _loudly_. Though none of it showed on her face, inside emotion was building, far more than typical anger. It was complete and utterly irrational jealousy.

"Not so fast… _I still have a left hand!_ " And with her declaration, Anna brought that particular appendage to strike Hao straight across the face. Ivy was so caught up in her ridiculous mental state that she didn't realize what had occurred until Opacho frantically called out.

" _Hao-dono!_ "

Anna made a few final comments before heading off in the direction Hao had told her Yoh and the others were. Regaining her own senses, Ivy wasted no time in following Opacho to their master.

"Hao-dono, are you alright?" the older of the two girls concernedly asked.

Despite the fresh red mark on his right cheek, Hao was still smiling. "Very nice," he happily commented. "Courage _and_ fast hands. No one's slapped me like that since my mother." The boy then turned his attention in the direction Anna's small group had headed. "Ah, it seems we've lost both Yamada and Boris. Also, Bill appears to be severely injured. You'll have to fix him up when we arrive, Aviantei." Despite the seriousness of his words, neither Hao's smile nor cheerful tone of voice wavered.

* * *

The way was one with multiple paths, but if the call sent out to your soul was the right one, you would be able to make it to the Patch Village. Being part of a group led by a person who had spent a previous reincarnation as a Patch tribesman was also helpful. In any event, Ivy arrived along with Hao and his followers in their intended location.

The Patch Village. Of course, it was more than just that. It was the Celestial Holy Ground. And that was where the Great Spirit, the combination and wellspring of all souls that exist and the ultimate prize of the victor of the Shaman Fight, would appear for three months once every five-hundred years.

Upon seeing the Great Spirit for the first time, the majority of people would become unconscious to experience the history of the earth, some never to awake. Ivy herself only experienced one of those things, and that was the flood of the earth's memories pouring into her brain. Afterwards, she was still standing next to Hao, who was also gazing into the massive grouping of ghosts. This was one of the few things that would leave Ivy staring in awe and there was only one thing she could make herself say:

"I see why you want it so badly, Hao-dono."

* * *

As Hao had requested, Ivy had healed Bill's wounds attained from confronting the X-Laws. However, even her abilities couldn't cure the sleep induced by the Great Spirit that the rest of the group was now affected by.

Hao decided to take the opportunity to show Ivy the room she would be staying in. It was a small one, and that suited the girl perfectly fine. There was a bed next to the room's lone window, which showed an interesting combination of the partially modernized village in the distance and some of the buildings on the outskirts that had simply fallen apart over the years.

"Does it bother you, Aviantei?" Hao asked from the doorway, causing Ivy to turn and face him. It was a strange comment to be made about a room, but the girl new better than that.

"Does what bother me?" she asked, feigning ignorance. This was only something Hao was doing for entertainment.

"What I told her; does it bother you?" her master patiently restated before walking closer to her.

Ivy lightly frowned, even though the end distance was a perfectly reasonable one. She decided to use the bruise that could just barely be seen as her point of reference. "What bothers me, Hao-dono," she calmly spoke, "is that you were harmed, even if it was only a little." That was the truth, or at least part of it. His words were still bothering her, but if Ivy said so, he was bound to ask why. And she wasn't ready to answer that yet.

"If it bothers you so much," Hao said, his hands covering his follower's left, "then you're free to fix it." He raised her hand up to his cheek where he had been struck earlier. Ivy's frown deepened, but she still called upon the leaves. It didn't take long and was pretty much pointless, but she healed the small mark before slowly lowering her hand. There was a silence.

"Tell me, Aviantei," Hao requested. "If it bothered you when it happened, why didn't you do something about it?"

Ivy blinked. That also most seemed as if he was discussing his own words as opposed to what Anna had done. No matter. The answer was essentially the same. "You seemed as if you had the situation under control. Besides, you told me to keep a low profile, Hao-dono. I intend to follow orders," she dutifully answered.

Hao let out a soft chuckle and brought his own hand to Ivy's cheek. "You may experience distress, embarrassment, sadness, or annoyance, but you never show it. I won't ask why it is you act this way, but I am particularly curious as to what it would take to make you flustered." He softly traced his thumb across the girl's lips, bringing a light, embarrassed flush to cross her cheeks. "I wonder…"

It took Ivy a few moments to realize the boy had gently gripped her by the upper arms, and by then it was far too late. She had blinked in response, and when her eyes opened, she was lying on the small bed, painfully aware of Hao's presence above her. The same amount of distance as when standing, only now it seemed much smaller.

Ivy felt the boy's breath as it escaped and returned to his mouth. This fact made her realize that she wasn't breathing herself, and she quickly inhaled and exhaled. The scent she received was one that no cologne could imitate and perhaps one only she was fully meant to appreciate—the smell of burning wood. Still shocked, she continued air flowing, even if her only motivation was to keep taking in his scent.

Above her, Hao's expression was an extremely pleased version of his usual amused smile. "Lovely, just as I thought…" he murmured.

"Hao-dono…?" Ivy quietly questioned before realizing the words were referring to the furious blush now covering her face. Of course, that fact simply made the color intensify.

"Tell me, Aviantei, does it bother you?" Hao asked once more. As if he couldn't already tell.

It took Ivy a short amount of time to find her voice, but when she did the same formal tone as earlier was used. "Of course it bothers me," she honestly answered. _You bother me._

"Oh?" Hao remarked, almost responding more to her thoughts than her actual words. It had just to be Ivy's imagination, though. No such thing was possible, not even for an onmyoji that had lived a thousand years…

"Yes. I don't have to remind you that you are my lord and master. This is wrong."

" _A lot of things are wrong. That doesn't stop people from doing them._ "

Ivy immediately recognized those words as a definitive truth that would be in place for eternity. It didn't stop the people she had seen over the years, it hadn't stopped Ander from killing her parents, and it most certainly wasn't stopping Asakura Hao now.

"Is that your only concern? Well then, Aviantei…" He let out a soft chuckle. "Entertain me." The words were whispered, leaving Ivy once again breathless and completely vulnerable to his next move. Wasting no time, Hao expertly brought his lips to hers.

At first, Ivy was merely stunned. However, she was easily brought back to reality by her rapidly beating heart. Even if protesting seemed pointless, she knew that she couldn't let this be happening because of a game. Their lips parted for a moment as Hao took in air, and Ivy tried to shift away. His hand came up to become entangled in the back of her hair and pressed her back towards him.

This time was different. He ran his tongue across her lips, enticing them to open.

Ivy's willpower hit zero.

She closed her eyes and did as he wanted.

By the time Ivy reopened her eyes, it was over and Hao was standing above her with an almost unnoticeable frown crossing his features.

"Good, but not quite where I want you to be," he commented, though lightening his demeanor before speaking again. "Although, I must say, you never cease to amaze me, Aviantei. You look upon the Great Spirit and revel in it, but when it comes to things like this, you can't handle them."

_Of course I couldn't handle it. That was my…_

"Ah, yes, that's right!" Hao lightly exclaimed, once again seeming to be working off her thoughts. "Unless something has happened over the past few years that I was unaware of, that was your first kiss. I'm sorry that I was the one to take that from you, but actions always work best in 'what if' situations. I think I've almost figured this part of you out. Until tomorrow, Aviantei."

It wasn't until he was gone from the room that Ivy realized she wasn't able to move and when she finally willed herself to, the only thing she _could_ do was touch her lips.

* * *

The concept of it being her second day in the Patch Village didn't interest Ivy in the slightest. Even during training, she was practically useless. Both were contributed to the fact that, if she thought about, she could still feel Hao's lips on hers. And that there was more coming.

Why in the world was she caught on something so completely ridiculous? To Hao, this was simply a game. And the emotion he had given off… The best way Ivy could think to describe it was a strange combination in pride at what he was capable of causing and plain-out lust.

But that didn't stop her from feeling excited to have Hao come back and kiss her again. It wasn't even close. After all, emotion was an extremely powerful thing, capable of easily destroying the barriers Ivy had thought she'd be able to maintain. They were left in pieces.

"I see it's still affecting you, Aviantei," Hao muttered from his position over the girl, "yet not as much as yesterday. What is it that's really bothering you?"

Ivy breathed for a moment, both to collect her thoughts and to take in the smell she was already so used to. "Simply the fact that you're doing this," she answered.

"The fact but not the reason…"

"Of course. I already know the reason." Ivy didn't have to force the calm; for whatever reason, it was coming naturally. She quickly continued before she lost it. "The instant you said 'I'm curious,' I knew that this was just a game of yours. Even so, you get enjoyment out of it, so what happens to me is irrelevant. If it makes you happy, how can it bother me?"

There was a silence before the musical chuckle escaped into the air. "That's a good question." How he pulled it off was a mystery, but the fact remained that Hao now had Ivy's wrists secured above her head. "Tell me, Aviantei, are you willing to test that?"

"H… Hao-dono?" The realization and color on her face both came soon after the question. "Hao-dono, please! What could you possibly gain from this?"

Simply by moving closer, Hao was able to cut off Ivy's protests. "Now, now, Aviantei, you're contradicting yourself. As for what I gain from this, you answered that: It's a game, nothing more."

Yes, Ivy knew that. So why did it hurt? And why couldn't she fully bring herself to believe it? His voice and eyes were plenty hard enough.

"You can tell it's becoming autumn." The musing caught Ivy off guard and she made herself refocus. Hao was now gazing out the window. "Even in places like this where vegetation is limited, there's still a slight chill to the air. Sometimes it becomes difficult to remain warm, but the best way to do so is to stay close to someone else." He then shifted his auburn gaze back down to the girl below him. "I'm rather pleased with this location. It's nice and secluded, which is good; I'm not exactly sure how far this will go."

"Wait!" Ivy tried again, but stopped as Hao rested his forehead on hers.

"Shh… Just go with it, Aviantei."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Ivy weighed her options. Nothing was going to get her out of this one. Words were useless, but… _What if…_

 _Actions always work best in "what if" situations._ He had said so himself.

Maybe Fate decided that it was going to like her today, or it could have been something completely different. In any event, Ivy was able to free her right hand and entwine her fingers in Hao's raven black hair. This apparently surprised him, which made it all the easier to apply the pressure needed to bring their lips together one more time.

Then it was done. Realization hit and Ivy dropped her hand down as dark color flooded her face. Hao released his former grip on hand and sat up on the edge of the bed. His amused smile was in place and he lightly chuckled.

"That was quite a risk you took, Aviantei," he remarked.

Ivy didn't say anything. She just needed him to _go_. Being alone was the only way she'd be able to think straight and get her thoughts in order. Hao's presence wouldn't help in the slightest.

Still seeming to be working off Ivy's thoughts, her master stood up without looking at her. "It's getting late and you probably want to rest. I'll leave you for now." He walked over to the doorway, only to stop and look back when he arrived. "Aviantei, feel free to not come to training tomorrow. In fact, it would be a good day for you to explore the Patch Village. Good night."

Then he was gone. What discomforted Ivy the most was the fact of the first thought on her mind was how empty the air smelled without him.

"Mya, why do you think he does these things to me?" Though Ivy hadn't been very productive for most of the day, she had at least done some training with fire. The result was her partner's eyes and hair were now a bright red color.

Mya heavily sighed as she appeared beside her mistress. "I am unsure, Ivy-dono, but I do not believe he does them simply of his own volition."

Ivy rested her forearm over her eyes and let out a weak laugh. "I suppose you're right. Do you remember when he told us that powerful mana awakens powerful mana?"

The ghost blinked in confusion. "Yes. That is the reason your mana level has increased so much since over the years since you met Hao-dono."

A small smile crossed Ivy's lips. "Do you suppose the same holds true for emotion?"

"Possibly. Why do you ask, milady?"

"Because," Ivy whispered, taking the pillow out from under her head and pulling it close to her chest, "during the last, I felt something different… Something… _warm_ …"

* * *

The Great Spirit was something Hao normally liked to look at, but he ignored it as he walked further into the ruins surrounding the Patch Village. He also normally enjoyed the crisp air that accompanied late October, but it was pushed away by the extreme want of a scent that was one part sharp leaves, one part sweet flowers: Ivy's scent.

Hao was both amused and concerned at her need to be away from him, but he really couldn't blame her. After all, he needed to escape, too, before his own walls crumbled even further. Returning that last kiss would have been fatal if it weren't for Ivy's embarrassment. Hao could remember thinking when he found her that she could see right through him if he was lying and now it was certain. If it hadn't been for her clouded judgment… those walls wouldn't have stood a chance.

Oh, why was this girl so _stubborn_? If she would just say it, these things wouldn't be necessary. That was why he had even done all this in the first place, to give her an opportunity.

Hao sighed and sat down on a nearby part of a fallen building. True, his plan hadn't worked out, but it was an interesting development. Besides, he _had_ lived for a thousand years to obtain one of his goals.

He could wait a while for this, too.

"Aviantei…" he softly whispered.

" _Do you realize exactly what it is you've done to me?_ "


	11. Part Eleven: Inanity

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Eleven: Inanity

* * *

By the time Ivy woke up the next morning, the sun was already much higher than it should have been. She should have woken up a while ago, if only out of habit. And even if she had slept in, Hao surely would have come to wake her up. Oh well, her master probably had his reasons. He was always enigmatic at best.

Ivy sat up in bed. If she got ready quickly enough, it would be possible still get in a decent amount of training before—

_Aviantei, feel free not to come to training tomorrow._

Hao's voice came back to her, along with the events of the previous day, both in poignant clarity. Why was she so stupid? She had flat out let her emotions get the better of her. It had all been a ridiculous game, _that_ particular point had already been proven. And she was just as ridiculous for going along with it. All that was getting accomplished was making her life so much harder. The only reason she had gone with Hao in the first place… No, there had been two reasons. He had called her "Aviantei." He could make her strong enough to kill Ander.

Ivy punched the mattress beside her. If she was going to be strong enough to defeat him at all, she needed to be stable mentally. And that didn't require being distracted by your own master. She needed a day to re-find herself and get back in tune with the elements. Training could wait for that.

_In fact, it would be a good day for you to explore the Patch Village…_

Yes, that was what she would do. She'd take the day and spend it like some overexcited tourist. Maybe then Ivy would be able to clear her head. And if that didn't work, she'd stare into the Great Spirit, no matter how long it took, even if it was days.

_You look into the Great Spirit and revel in it, but when it comes to things like this—_

Ivy punched the mattress again, this time to stop remembering Hao's words. Enough was _enough_ , already. She forced herself out of bed and hastily began to get dressed, fiercely determined to clear away all the troubles she was plagued with.

" _Baka,_ " she muttered.

Ivy sat on one of the more dilapidated buildings among those at the outskirts of the Patch Village, staring into the Great Spirit. She had spent a few hours in the Patch Village before the fact that it was essentially a tourist trap had gotten to her. So, she had retreated out here to stare at the swirling mass of souls. The effects of taking it in for a couple of hours were soothing.

Hao was right. What type of sane person looked into the core of all spiritual entities without being affected, but fell apart at something as trivial as a kiss? For all Ivy knew there was something wrong with her. It was plain out ridiculous.

Maybe if that hadn't been her first kiss… No, that wouldn't have mattered. The concept of Hao kissing her at any point in time would be enough to send her into the same state of embarrassment. How had she even kept that sliver of calm yesterday? It seemed impossible. What ticked Ivy off further was that no one individual would ever affect her the way Hao Asakura could. Even if it was only a game.

"Dammit!" she complained, leaning back on the palms of her hands and staring into the upper reaches of the Great Spirit.

"Oh, hello there," a voice greeted, causing the girl to jump. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, um, yes," Ivy stammered, flustered by the sudden appearance of the person addressing her. "You just startled me." She looked over the boy who was now standing beside the seat she had taken. He appeared to be around her age, if not younger, with hair that was a seemingly impossible shade if light green. There was a smile on his face that lit up his grey-green eyes.

"Are you sure?" he continued to query. "You seemed pretty frustrated to me, which is why I came over. May I sit down?" Ivy was so taken aback by the suddenness of the question, she simply nodded without thinking. The boy enthusiastically complied. By the way, my name is Lyserg Diethel. It's nice to meet you."

Ivy blinked. If this boy's surname really was Diethel, then she had seen him before. It was a memory buried by eight years of passing time, but the details were still there, as clear as the day they had first occurred.

* * *

"Mother… Father…"

They were much quieter and in English as opposed to Chinese, but the words were still the same as hers had been. And that almost made her want to scream. She had patiently watched as Hao had killed the young couple without so much as batting an eye. It had been a painful reminder of her own parents' death, but Ivy understood the logic behind the action. If the couple refused to assist him, why let them live as opposition? But the appearance of the boy had almost broken her.

 _They had a_ child _?_

"Who… who are you?" the boy quietly asked. Then he raised his voice. " _What have you done to my parents?_ "

"Fools," Hao flatly stated. "They died because they wouldn't promise to help me in the Shaman Fight eight years from now." He then went to exit the home. "Incredible… Everywhere I go, amateurs."

" _Wait!_ " the boy shouted, grabbing onto the collar of Hao's then star-adorned cloak as the latter passed. " _Stop! Don't you ignore me!_ "

Hao turned back to the boy, giving him one of the most bone chilling glares Ivy had ever seen. "Such amateurs," he finalized before summoning the Spirit of Fire to set the house ablaze.

* * *

"Lyserg…" Ivy muttered. "My name is Lon Ivy. It's a pleasure."

"Ivy-chan, huh? That's a nice name," Lyserg complimented. "So, how come you came all the way out here?"

Ivy tried to pull herself out of the past and focus on the present conversation. Why had she come out here, again? "Oh, I just needed to clear my mind," she answered. "I've had a lot to think about lately." That was a very vague but true statement. Probably one of the few ones she could say in a situation like this.

"So have I," the British boy said, redirecting his gaze. Ivy did the same. "They say all souls eventually return to the Great Spirit. I was just wondering if my parents were in there somewhere."

Ivy felt sick at herself. How could she tell this boy that she had known personally for only a few minutes that she had been there to watch his parents die, their souls eaten by the Spirit of Fire for strength?

"So you've lost your parents, too?" That one sentence required the most effort Ivy ever had to put into keeping her voice steady. It was just one mistake after the other with her of late, wasn't it? First getting caught up in Hao's games, then talking to this boy. Man, she was just plain-out _stupid_ …

"You mean…" Lyserg didn't have to be as picky about what emotions he displayed. However, he was quick at recovering from his shows. "So we've both lost."

"Yes," Ivy confirmed, not allowing herself to say anymore.

"That's why I'm here," Lyserg continued. "Because _he_ is."

 _Oh, please,_ please _don't say his name…_

"Hao." The word was filled with venom. "He's the one who killed them. I have to defeat him. That's why I decided to join the X-Laws."

"The X-Laws, huh?" That meant Lyserg was going to become her enemy. Come to think of it, they were far enough from the village. If she wanted to, it would be a simple matter for Ivy to overpower and kill him, use the elements to dispose of his body, and take the souls of both him and his spirit ally back to Hao to be consumed by the Spirit of Fire. It was a favorable situation: one less enemy, more power for Hao, and Ivy not having to sit through this conversation that was only making her mental situation more muddled than it already was.

"So you've heard of them, then?" Lyserg seemed more enthusiastic then Ivy had seen him so far. "I talked to them the other day and I've seen their Over Souls in action. They said they have enough power to surpass Hao."

_What a ridiculous concept. They can't even beat me, let alone Hao-dono._

"Hey, do you have a team yet?" Lyserg questioned, making Ivy remember that the next stage of the Shaman Fight was indeed a team tournament. Since all of Hao's followers had already been partnered up with each other, she would have to search for some teammates on her own. "If not, you can come with me. You suffered in the past, I'm sure the X-Laws would be glad to have you."

Yeah, glad to have her if she was in a body bag. Ivy could already see Marco joyfully shoving his gun in her face the instant she was in range. Then again, it might be a little fun to go along with this. Go ahead, break a few guns. Maybe even eliminate the X-Laws before they became an issue. No, too risky, Hao still needed them around. Even if he didn't, it wasn't her place to deal with them anyway.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline," Ivy said, turning back to Lyserg. "I've heard of the X-Laws before. Their purpose is to defeat Hao, correct?" She paused to let the boy nod before continuing. "I understand that this Hao killed your parents, but I personally have nothing against him. I also have no intentions to involve myself in the politics of this competition. I'm only here for the same reasons you are, and I know very well that we do not share the same cause for loss."

"Oh," Lyserg quietly responded, his tone disappointed.

"Don't get me wrong," Ivy corrected herself, realizing what he must be thinking. "I'm not saying that I wish to become your enemy. In fact, I'd much rather we become friends." Ivy becoming friends with an X-Law. Hell, Lyserg becoming friends with one of Hao's followers. What a concept. "Do you accept that offer, Lyserg Diethel?"

The green haired youth was temporarily silent. Ivy could just see his brain in motion. She patiently waited.

"Yes," Lyserg finally agreed, holding out his hand for Ivy to shake. She blinked, then complied before standing up.

"Thank you." A small bow accompanied the words. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go. Bye."

"Ah, goodbye." Lyserg's response appeared to be on reflex. "Um, I hope we see each other again, soon."

"Same here." _Hopefully on pleasant terms._

And Ivy left Lyserg on the ruins, knowing that those terms would be extremely scarce.

* * *

After Hao had left the then burning home of the Diethels, Ivy had stayed behind. Hao hadn't told her to come, and the flames wouldn't harm her, so why not? Besides, she wanted to make sure the boy was safe. If his parents couldn't look after him, then she would. Even if it only was for a moment.

Ivy watched as the boy cried his eyes out over his parents, just like she would have done of not for Ander rendering her unconscious. He wasn't moving either, though Ivy couldn't blame him. Even if she had been awake, she still would have laid there, hoping for death. Though it would have been difficult for her to die amongst the flames, she doubted the same held true for this boy.

Maybe he just didn't realize the danger he was in. It was logical to assume that all he was seeing were his parents' corpses; even unconsciousness couldn't save Ivy from that one. She wished it was possible to go and talk some sense into him, but a good excuse as to why she was there wouldn't come. No, all she could do was wait for help to arrive and heal him if he showed any complications due to the smoke now filling the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, a siren was audible. That sound seemed to bring the boy back to reality, and he slowly stood up and worked his way to the front door, pushing it open and promptly collapsing. Ivy sighed in relief, sent a leaf filled with her mana to clear the smoke in his lungs, then went to exit out the back into the night where she would find her master.

* * *

Now reentering her temporary room, Ivy exhaled. For some reason, meeting Lyserg was exactly what she had needed. Her mind was clear again, with her goal back in perfect focus. First, she would avenge her parents. And after that, she would protect Hao no matter what the consequence. Not particularly caring about the hour, Ivy dropped herself on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

" _Baka._ " 


	12. Part Twelve: Foundation

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twelve: Foundation

* * *

It took Ivy a few more days to decide that she should just get over it and go back to training with the others, and nearly twice as many to act on it. The number of Shaman Fight contestants inside the Patch Village was growing by the day, even though Ivy couldn’t believe that so many of them had survived this far. After all, Hao had been able to eliminate some of their number so easily back at Lilirara’s home, meaning there had to be others who were just as weak but also just as lucky.

_They’re all probably going to be helpless. It’s almost sad that they won’t give up when their dreams are already doomed._

She didn’t talk to anyone more than she had to, although it was getting increasingly hard to feed herself. Hao didn’t like using money, and there was only so much more change in her pocket, earned in secret from a few “magic” tricks she had performed back in Tokyo. It was funny how simply people could be impressed by things beyond their understanding. She would repeat the tactic here if everyone weren’t shamans and it would just be unnecessarily showing off her skills to the enemy.

“Ivy-dono, even if we are in the desert, there are a number of native plants and animals that we could easily acquire and prepare,” Mya said, staying close to her master’s side. Ivy sighed, looking at the small collection of change in her hand as if that would make it bigger.

“Yeah, I know,” she admitted, scowling. She should have been hunting and foraging from the start, but Hao was surely doing the same. She could easily avoid him if she tuned into the elements, but that would still require sensing him. Ivy didn’t even think she was ready for that. “Well, I guess that there’s tons of minerals in the desert. I could probably forge some coins while we’re out there…”

Mya frowned, even though she was quick to hide the expression. “Forgive me, Ivy-dono, but I think you may have spoiled yourself a bit. Things like this are best in moderation, after all.”

“I know, I know. Sometimes I just think Hao-dono forgets what it’s like to eat like a normal person at times.” Every now and then they would stop by a restaurant and somehow manage to skip out on the bill by leaving the country in question. Considering that the Patch Village was her current home, that wasn’t as much as an option anymore.

Ivy paused. She had said his name and the world didn’t end. Hao hadn’t come sweeping down out of nowhere to corner her again. The only consequences were a bit of color on her cheeks and an increased heart rate.

She stood up, recounting the coins in her hands before shoving them in her pocket. “If I’m broke I can’t spend any more money,” Ivy declared, causing Mya to roll her eyes. “Come on, I have just enough to get a plate of dumplings from that one shop we were at the other day. For cooking foreign cuisine, it was pretty good.”

Mya only shook her head but didn’t speak up. Ivy was glad. Even though shamans were supposed to be the leaders in the relationship, ghost partners usually ended up being wiser and advisors. Ivy wasn’t sure if she wanted a rational advisor or not. Altogether, she wasn’t sure what she wanted beyond food, either.

“Besides, I still need to scope out potential teammates anyway,” Ivy said. True, no one else around seemed strong enough to be a partner. The only connections Ivy even had outside of Hao’s followers were Ren and Lyserg. There was no way the British boy would consider if he knew the truth, and keeping it from him was too much of a hassle.

_And there’s no point to teaming up with Ren-chan if that means I can’t fight him again…_

Well, they weren’t the only other available people, but Ivy didn’t like the idea of searching them out. She was more likely to find Ander before that even happened. And as much as she wanted to kill him, doing it before the main competition would only complicate things.

“Well, I didn’t expect to see you out here all on your own,” a voice commented, and Ivy would have believed she was hallucinating if it weren’t for the look of recognition on Mya’s face. “Did the princess run off from her guard or something?”

Ivy wondered if it would help any if she screamed.

Probably not.

Instead, she gritted her teeth, putting on a smile. It didn’t matter if it was fake or not.

“I thought you were dead.”

* * *

Issebella Vargas was one of the few people that Ivy could genuinely not stand. Sure, she wasn’t exactly fond of the rest of Hao’s followers, but Issebella was the one that could make her break her calm like no other. As if dealing with her emotions beforehand hadn’t been bad enough.

The only positive thing about this was that the Italian girl had offered to pay for lunch.

“Go ahead, _Principessa_ , get whatever you like,” Issebella said, almost grinning. How someone could smile so much was beyond Ivy. How someone got their hair to have brown crosses in it when they were supposed to be naturally blond was a mystery, too, as well as the _why_.

The nickname brought a flush of color to Ivy’s cheeks that she quickly tried to repress. She hated it. She hated Issebella. Why couldn’t she just keep to herself? The Italian girl had been a constant pain ever since Hao had picked her up. She was the only one that even bothered to try and be friend with Ivy, no matter how many times the brunette made it perfectly clear that she just wanted to be left alone.

Well, alone or with Hao. That was about it.

Even so, Ivy wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity for free food, no matter how irritating Issebella was. Without even bothering to ask how much money the Italian had on her, Ivy gave her order to the Patch waiter. She wasn’t sure she could eat it all, but it didn’t matter. She would use her elements to preserve it and eat it later if she needed to. Somehow, the list of food wasn’t enough to faze Issebella.

Out of respect for her master, Mya repressed a sigh.

“So where the hell did you even disappear to anyway?” Ivy asked. She really didn’t want to talk, but if she didn’t pick the topic, Issebella would. The Italian would eventually take control of the conversation—it was inevitable—but Ivy was determined to prevent it as long as she could.

Issebella leaned back in her chair. She looked like she was seconds away from putting her feet on the table, but it didn’t happen. Ivy almost hoped she would—the table was surprisingly wood and maybe she could attach it to Issebella’s legs and teach her some manners. “Were you worried about me, _Principessa_? You hear that, Militaresco, she was worried about me!”

“Congratulations, my lady.” The ghost of a knight appeared at Issebella’s side. Ivy scowled. Even if Militaresco was a powerful spirit ally, he was just as obnoxious as his shaman. Then again, maybe that was necessary so that they could function around each other. At this rate, they’d be catching the attention of people on the streets.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Ivy said, putting enough power into her voice to stop their outbursts without shouting herself. “You disappeared without warning before the Shaman Fight _preliminaries_ even started. Of course I want to know where you’ve been. For all I know, you could have been fraternizing with the enemy. I’m not letting you anywhere near Hao-dono before I’m certain you’re not a traitor.”

She wanted Issebella to look worried. It didn’t happen. “So serious, _Principessa_ ,” Issebella almost cooed. “Don’t worry your pretty little head off; I was just on a secret mission for _Dio_. If you don’t believe me, you can go talk to him first before you take me back to base.” Ivy wasn’t sure if her chest tightened because Hao hadn’t told her something or at the idea of having to talk to him about it. Issebella laughed. “You’re so cute when your face’s red! I missed seeing it.”

“Oh shut it!” Ivy exclaimed, hands slamming against the table. Just as quickly she sat back down, cheeks burning brighter than they had before. She glanced around for a sign of her food, glaring at anyone that dared to so much as glance at their table. “Forget about it. It’ll just go quicker if I take you to him.”

Even if Issebella was a traitor, it wouldn’t be much trouble. Hao was powerful. He was going to become Shaman King. He could easily handle himself even if Issebella showed up at his bedside with an army of X-Laws.

That and Ivy knew she wasn’t ready to be in the same room as him just yet either. Especially not alone.

“Okay, then, I’ll be ready to go whenever you are! Oh, but we definitely need to eat first, silly me.” Issebella laughed to herself. Ivy could tell her blood pressure was rising by the second. Not wanting to deal with the Italian anymore, Ivy looked over to the third person sitting at the table.

“And who are you?” she asked, her voice still coming out biting. It normally wouldn’t be fair to take out her frustration on others just because of Issebella, but Ivy wasn’t that petty. She knew well enough to separate her personal from her professional feelings, even if she hadn’t been doing such a good job at it of late. It was best to start now.

Dealing with strangers wasn’t Ivy’s strong suit.

The girl lifted her head, the movement shifting her short green bangs out of her face. She lowered the tea cup from her lips, surveying Ivy before answering.

“Kiha Kaede,” she answered, voice soft. It wasn’t quite monotone, but it was almost getting there. She didn’t add anything else, just went back to her drink.

 _So she’s Japanese…and that’s about all I learned from that._ Ivy frowned. There was every possibility that she was some sort of spy. Even if Issebella had disappeared on Hao’s orders, that didn’t mean she couldn’t have gotten mixed up in something else. The Shaman Fight was a battle of creeds and morals more than anything else, and loyalties could be changed in ways that had nothing to do with strength.

“ _Principessa_ , this is Kaede!” Issebella interjected, throwing her arm around Kaede’s shoulder. The smaller girl seemed annoyed by the close proximity. At least there was a chance she wouldn’t be so bad then. “She and I met while I was coming back from my mission! She didn’t have any place to go, so I told her about _Dio_ and that she could stay with us.”

Ivy kept her gaze on Kaede. “Is that true?”

Kaede nodded.

“Fine then. We’ll have to take her to Hao-dono then,” Ivy allowed. Even she couldn’t find a way to argue with new members. She didn’t like it, but it was an advantage to Hao to have additional numbers. Fighting it was the same as trying to disadvantage him. Ivy switched to Japanese. “ _So, Kaede-chan, what sort of nonsense did this idiot put you through on the way here?_ ”

Kaede tilted her head, probably surprised to hear her supposed native language. “ _She keeps talking about making me smile,_ ” the girl responded. “ _It’s annoying._ ”

Ivy sincerely hoped Kaede wasn’t a spy. She didn’t want to make friends, but at the very least it would be nice to have someone that wasn’t like Issebella around. It would make life a little less frustrating now that the Italian had returned.

“Come on, no fair, _Principessa_ , you know I’m no good at Japanese!” Issebella whined, completely missing the point. It was a wonder she had even survived in Japan without being around the others to translate. English had probably saved her. “Oh, though I did hear ‘smile,’ though! Kaede, are you talking about our deal?”

Kaede grumbled something under her breath too quick for even Ivy to pick up on. “What deal?” the Chinese girl asked. She tried to make her voice sound annoyed, but part of her curiosity was starting to act up. If there was some sort of agreement going on, maybe there was a chance it could be manipulated to her favor.

“ _Hyaku egao!_ ” Issebella declared. Her pronunciation was atrocious. Ivy was sorry she had asked, and she didn’t even have a proper explanation yet. “Every time I make Kaede smile, I get a point! If I get a hundred points, I win!”

Ivy slipped a hand down her packets, readying her leaves. The smell managed to calm her down somewhat, but attacking would have been much more satisfying. Only Issebella could come up with something like that. “Win what, exactly?”

Kaede shot a glare in Issebella’s direction. The older girl giggled, putting a finger to her lips. “Sorry, _Principessa_ , but that’s a secret,” she said. Kaede nodded in agreement.

“ _Himitsu_.”

Ivy sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter anyway. Just don’t make a racket while we finish eating. Wait; just don’t make a racket at all. Once we’re done here, we can meet up with Hao-dono and you can report on the results of whatever. Kaede-chan can decide if she wants to join or not.”

“Sure thing, _Principessa_!” Issebella shouted, completely ignoring the previous instructions. Kaede nodded, turning back to her tea cup. “Just you wait, Kaede, we’re gonna have tons of fun together, okay?”

Their food finally arrived, and Ivy was grateful for having an excuse not to talk anymore.

* * *

Ivy didn’t want to give Issebella even any vague reason to worry, so she sucked it up and tuned back into the elements. The response was immediate, and just sensing him was enough for Ivy to want to go back into hiding. It felt like he smelled, burning with just the slightest traces of smoke. She dispelled the connection the second she was sure of his location, but pretended to still be focusing until her blush faded.

Issebella didn’t need to see that.

They went back to the outskirts of the Patch Village, and not even Issebella’s incessant chatter could make up for the silence that came from leaving the community. It was empty and barren out here, except for Hao’s followers. Ivy ignored them and headed straight for her master, the other two girls in tow.

She blushed right away when she saw him. He was exactly the same, calm and collected, smiling as always. It was obvious that would be the case considering she had only been gone for a few days, but it didn’t seem right. Ivy had been tearing herself apart over what had happened and he didn’t seem affected at all.

_Did that really mean nothing to him?_

“Hao-dono,” she said, and it took all of her mental strength to keep her voice from shaking.

“ _Dio_!” Issebella cheered, stepping forward and waving. She looked on the verge of possibly jumping towards Hao and hugging him if it weren’t for Kaede’s grip on the back of the Italian girl’s dress. Ivy frowned as her muscles tensed up. She was going to need an aromatherapy session at this rate. “Issebella Vargas, returning to duty and bearing gifts!”

“I’m not an object,” Kaede spoke up, her voice surprisingly harsh.

Issebella laughed a little, as if nothing were wrong. “Right, right, my bad, Kaede!”

The expression on Hao’s lips widened, and Ivy wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a smile or a smirk. Her heart beat faster regardless. “It’s nice to have you back, Issebella, Aviantei,” he said. He had even said her name. Ivy almost stepped closer to Issebella for reassurance, her pride the only thing stopping her. His gaze turned to Kaede. “And it appears that you brought someone interesting along with you, as well.”

Issebella nodded a few times in quick succession. “Yep! This is Kaede, and she says she wants to help us!” she declared, pushing the girl in question forward. Kaede stared straight forward. “So can she join, _Dio_ , pretty please?!”

Hao closed his eyes. There was a moment of silence. Ivy expected Kaede to plead her case, but she didn’t. Issebella didn’t say anything either. For the first time in a long time, Ivy wondered what Hao was thinking and it had nothing to do with her.

“Yes, I see no problem with that,” Hao allowed. Issebella cheered, pulling Kaede into a hug and spinning her around. The Japanese girl didn’t quite smile, but Ivy got the impression that she was pleased. “In fact, this works out quite nicely since Boris and Damayaji have left us… Aviantei, you have yet to find yourself teammates, am I correct?”

“Th-that’s true,” Ivy answered, cursing herself afterwards. She had stammered. Sure enough, Issebella looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “I had been hoping to find suitable companions while exploring the village, but that turned out not to be the case…”

It was a lie. She knew Hao knew it, even if it wasn’t acknowledged. Her master instead turned his attention to his Oracle Pager, more than likely accessing their mana values. “Well, Issebella has grown considerably in the months since I sent her away. And Kaede seems to be skilled enough, even if she can improve from a bit of refinement…I should say they’ll work out well at your side, Aviantei.”

Ivy couldn’t have protested even if she had seen a problem. Issebella was annoying, but she was skilled enough as a shaman. Kaede seemed standable enough, and was sure to be a benefit once she was taught the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu.

“This is great! I get to be paired up with Kaede and the _Principessa_!” Issebella pulled Ivy into the preexisting hug with Kaede. “We just got here, though, so you’ll have to fill me in on this team stuff. Oh, do we get a cool name? Let’s think of something cool, like Team _Corona_ _Sorride Nazionale_!”

“ _No_ ,” Ivy and Kaede rejected at the same time. Ivy was willing to bet that Kaede didn’t even need understand Italian to know that “National Smiling Crown” was a ridiculous suggestion.

Issebella pouted. “Fine then, what then?” she asked, and Ivy realized she had already made a decision a long time ago.

“ _Ha-Gumi_.”


	13. Part Thirteen: Partnership

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Thirteen: Partnership

* * *

The fact that Ivy had been ignoring him for almost a week certainly wasn’t lost on Hao, and at this point, he didn’t blame her either. Her mind—normally focused, normally organized—had scattered from the moment their lips had touched together, and stayed that way. Now, with the return of Issebella and the prospect of preparing a team, some of those aspects had returned, but not in their entirety.

“Her stubbornness certainly isn’t helping matters,” Hao murmured to himself before letting out a sigh. It wasn’t completely listless, but it wasn’t happy either. _But for now, anything I personally try won’t be of much assistance either._ It wasn’t often problems arose like this, and a frown crossed the boy’s face. It only lasted for a moment before his lips returned to their usual content smile.

It would simply have to serve as a challenge.

“Yeah, that _Principessa_ sure is a handful,” Issebella commented, even if she was clueless when it came to the situation. The Italian was sitting on a somewhat flat piece of rubble on the side of the room Hao had chosen. It wasn’t as well maintained as the rooms near the center of the village, but such things weren’t much of a bother. He had gotten used to sleeping under an open sky by now, and the missing section of the ceiling let that be possible, though the view was still mostly rocks. The Great Spirit more than made up for it. “But putting her aside, that’s not why you called me here, _Dio_.”

Hao allowed himself to chuckle. Issebella had been gone for some time, so it had been a while since he had heard that title. Once she had learned of the Shaman Fight and Hao’s goals, the then young Italian refused to refer to him in any way other than her native tongue for ‘God.’ It wasn’t that much of an issue, so he had allowed it, and the referral had persisted to Issebella’s near adulthood.

“That’s true,” Hao said, speaking clearly this time. He focused his power onto Issebella, taking it away from the minds of the rest of his followers, even though the occasional thought still slipped through now and then. “It seems that you were successful in what I sent you to accomplish. Good job, Issebella.”

The Italian beamed, not even questioning his knowledge. “That’s _Dio_ for you, always knowing everything ahead of time,” she boasted, even though it wasn’t her accomplishment to brag about. She genuinely took pride in the fact that she was able to serve him. “I’m sure glad I made the right move getting Kaede into the Shaman Fight, though. She may be small, but she sure packs a wallop if you get her going!” Issebella laughed, and a fleeting memory of her being on the receiving end of the Japanese girl’s assault more than once came through.

Hao took a moment to consider the Kiha girl. In all the commotion, he hadn’t had as much time to look into Kaede as he would have liked. He had gleaned her basic combat abilities and history, but her mind was one of the quietest he had ever heard, almost like she wasn’t completely thinking.

“I’m sure that Kaede’s skills will be more than sufficient,” Hao agreed. A wave of happiness went through Issebella’s mind—she was glad he trusted her judgment, even if that wasn’t entirely accurate. “And if they aren’t, Aviantei will surely take care of that problem.” Now that was probably for the best. If Ivy had something else to concentrate on, she would probably resume her normal train of thought in no time.

“Sounds like fun! I could definitely use some training, too,” Issebella admitted. She put a hand on her shoulder, rolling the joint in a short stretch. “I mean, teaching Kaede was fun and all, but there wasn’t anyone fun to train against. Really, my preliminary matches were completely boring…”

“And I’m sure Aviantei will be willing to help with that as well, if you ask her.” Hao repressed a chuckle. It was just as likely that girl in question would get frustrated and start a fight all on her own. It had been some time since the two girls had been within vicinity of each other, and Ivy was sure to be out of practice.

Issebella yawned. “Well, there will be plenty of time for that tomorrow,” she said, standing up and fully stretching. Then she laughed. “Man, it’s been so long since I’ve gotten to camp out with everyone. It’ll be Kaede’s first time, too. This will be super exciting! Good night, _Dio_.”

Hao didn’t respond. Issebella didn’t take offense, wandering off in search of the newest member. The onmyoji considered checking in on Ivy—then abandoned the idea in pursuit of watching the light of the Great Spirit through his ceiling.

* * *

Ivy didn’t need to be told that it was her duty to assess Issebella and Kaede’s abilities; she knew it already. However, she still felt ashamed. The entire time she had been avoiding Hao and his followers, she had completely neglected her training. Hao would have said it wasn’t a big deal with her mana level, but that wasn’t much of an encouragement.

He had always said that, anyways.

Ivy knew the reason why she had come this far. She didn’t feel it though. It felt like a fact, something to be memorized and regurgitated. She felt pathetic as she lied down in bed, burying her face into the pillow. The resolve that had followed her for almost ten years had somehow vanished into a haze.

“Dammit.”

“Ivy-dono,” Mya said. Her voice was filled with concern, the ghost hovering at her master’s bedside. Ivy didn’t look up, feeling Mya’s presence more than seeing her.

“What is it, Mya?”

“Do you wish to talk about what’s troubling you?”

Ivy frowned, but not out of anger, rolling over to her side. Mya didn’t press the issue further, just waited. Being here was enough to make Ivy think about it, even if the vividness of the memory had faded. The room didn’t even smell like him anymore.

In embarrassment, Ivy realized that she was trying to catch a trace of it.

She sat up, almost punching the mattress when she put her hands down, fingers curling into the sheets afterwards. She hated this. Mya still waited, floating up a bit so she was at eye level with her master in spirit ball mode. Her eyes and hair eyes had switched to green, her earlier short integration with the leaves finally changing after almost a week of being red.

“I don’t want to worry about this,” Ivy said. “I don’t want think about Hao-dono and his feelings, his intentions, _any of it_.” She spit the words out on accident, but Mya didn’t flinch. Regardless, Ivy softened her voice. “It’s not what matters. It’s not what matters at all. And yet…!” She let the sentence cut off, gritting her teeth together.

“I need you to help me, Mya,” she continued, her voice coming out rushed. She hadn’t asked for help that wasn’t a lesson since Hao had found her. It stung, more than his eyes, more than his contentedness. “I need you to tell me how to forget, how to focus. _Anything_. You’ve existed so much longer than I have, surely you know…”

Hao had lived longer than both of them, and was just as worthy to ask for advice. Ivy banished the thought. _Not now. Even if the others can’t see, not_ now _._

Mya’s hand touched Ivy’s cheek, having changed back to her more corporal form. Ivy had forgotten what it was like to touch a ghost—just as solid as any other person, just colder, but with a touch of warmth. “Ivy-dono,” Mya said, her voice soothing but still firm, “I recommend using the leaves to sleep tonight. If you do it right, you won’t dream. I can help.”

It was tempting. It was necessary. It wasn’t even a question. Ivy nodded, forming her Over Soul. She then focused on maintaining her mana, letting Mya do the rest, letting Mya settle into the leaves, letting Mya put her to sleep, almost like a mother…

It was a good thing she couldn’t dream, and Hao had nothing to do with it.

* * *

“Come on, _Principessa_ , it’s time to get up!” Issebella called, her voice grating into Ivy’s skull. She barely remembered falling asleep, and not having any dreams had it hard to believe that she had slept at all. But there was sunlight coming in from the windows, and her head wasn’t as cluttered, and Issebella was sitting on her bedside, skirt riding up, almost showing off her underwear with no shame. “Come on, we’re a team, so we should eat together, right? We should look out for each other, too, and I’m starving, so wake up!”

Ivy turned her gaze to Issebella’s face, which was almost brighter than the sun outside. Behind her was Kaede, looking as disinterested as ever, standing by the doorway. Even in the building that Ivy had chosen, slightly offset from those the rest of Hao’s followers were using, the smell of food still reached her.

“You already ate,” Kaede commented, her soft voice carrying across the room. “How can you possibly be hungry anymore?”

“Haven’t you learned?” Ivy asked, sitting up and pushing her bangs out of her face. “She eats like her stomach doesn’t have a bottom.”

Kaede’s lips parted slightly—the most emotion she had ever shown in the short day Ivy had known her—turning her gaze up to the ceiling. Issebella only laughed a little, sounding almost embarrassed. “Aw, thank you, _Principessa_.”

“That wasn’t a compliment,” Ivy retorted. Issebella only laughed again, this time louder. Ivy normally wouldn’t have let herself get so worked up, but now it seemed refreshing. As damaging to her pride as losing her cool around Issebella could be, it was still better than what she had been feeling lately.

What she had been feeling…?

That wasn’t right. That wasn’t right at all. Ivy frowned a little, trying to remember. She had left for almost a week after running into Issebella, but why? Something was missing, and she didn’t like it.

“If you frown too much, you’ll get wrinkles,” Issebella said, poking at Ivy’s forehead. The latter smacked the former’s hand away, but still relaxed her muscles. She wondered if Mya knew a leaves combination for alleviating skin stress. “Oh, I know what’ll make you smile! Let’s go eat!”

_Mya._

“You two go ahead,” Ivy said. Issebella pouted, and even Kaede tilted her head in confusion. Ivy let herself be annoyed. “I need to get ready and I don’t need you two hanging around while I do it.”

That seemed to be enough for Issebella, the corners of her mouth twisting up. “Alright, then, let’s go Kaede!” The Italian hopped off the bed, quickly capturing Kaede’s arm before turning back to Ivy. “You better not just go back to bed, _Principessa_. If you don’t show up in thirty minutes, I’m gonna send a prince to wake you up with a kiss!”

“I’m not a child!” Ivy tossed her pillow towards the duo. Issebella got Kaede out of the way before dodging herself, laughing all the way. “And good luck finding a prince in a place like this!”

For some reason, the image of Hao—close, very close—flashed across her mind, and Ivy felt her cheeks heat up. She shook her head, hair just long enough to fly everywhere in the process. No, that wouldn’t work. She would die if that happened. It would just be counter-productive.

And even if she wanted to, Issebella always caused too much of a racket to go back to sleep anyway.

_Besides, Hao-dono is a king._

* * *

“Mya,” Ivy said once she had finished collecting herself. This wasn’t the time to be flustered over a passing comment, not when something was wrong. Not when something was missing.

Ivy waited, growing more impatient by the second. She usually didn’t mind when Mya went off on her own—Mya was her partner, not just a tool, and as long as she was there when she was needed, Ivy left the ghost to her own devices. It wasn’t the first time that Mya had wandered off over the years, and it wasn’t going to be the last.

But Ivy needed her _now_.

“ _Mya,_ ” Ivy repeated, sinking her voice into the elements. There still wasn’t a response. She scowled. “Tiartha!”

The shout echoed in the room, and then Mya was pulled into existence, looking a bit dazed. The call of her elemental name had summoned her, albeit a bit forcefully. It wasn’t a technique that worked on humans, but Ivy had only intended to use it if they were separated in battle or some other emergency. Using it now when she could have just as easily gone to look for her—

 _But this_ is _an emergency,_ Ivy reasoned, feeling a bit panicked. Waiting for Mya to recover, the shaman took a deep breath. Mya was guidance. Mya would help. All she needed to do was stay calm.

“I’m terribly sorry, My Lady,” she apologized, dropping her head down. “I didn’t think that you would wake up so early. I had intended to be by your side when you did, but…”

“That doesn’t matter,” Ivy said. She managed not to snap out the words. That was good. She put a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. It did matter, just not enough. “What happened? What did you do when you put me to sleep?” That was the only conclusion that made sense. The memory was fuzzy, but Ivy was _certain_ …

“I did not mean to overstep my boundaries.” Ivy didn’t mean to glare, but she must have. Mya’s eyes flickered away for a second before she passed by the apologies. “You asked for my assistance. It sounded like you wanted to forget. I used a technique that can block out a memory or a thought and its effect on the brain.” The ghost frowned. “You must have been more troubled than I thought since you noticed the change. That isn’t supposed to happen.”

“I see…” Ivy considered the information. Even after all these years, Mya still had inherited techniques that Ivy had never come across. _An ability to effect memories..._ She wondered if Hao knew it.

Mya pulled a hand up to her chest, starting to drop out of her formal stance. “I can reverse the effects if you wish,” she proposed.

Ivy shook her head. “No, don’t bother,” she said. If it had been that bad—bad enough to even escape a spell like that—she couldn’t deal with it now. There were too many things to do. “I can deal with this situation. It would be a waste of your effort to help me.” Mya tried to hide it, but she looked pleased. “How long does it last?”

“The level of intensity I used on you should last for about a week,” the ghost reported. “However, since it didn’t have its full effect, I am uncertain on the duration now. However, the effects can be prolonged by recasting the technique.”

“And the side effects?”

“There are very few, as long as the proficiency of the caster is significant.” Ivy nodded. She didn’t need to be reassured about Mya’s skills; the girl knew them just as well as her own. “However, extended use without giving the memories time to recover can result in delays of recovery, or even permanent loss. Not even my abilities can prevent such a thing if My Lady stays under the technique for too long.” Mya’s head hung down a bit, her eyes not meeting Ivy’s or the floor.

Ivy smiled a little, hoping it looked reassuring. She reached out a hand to touch Mya’s shoulder, the difference in their body temperatures not enough for the Chinese girl to pull away. “No, that will be enough. I’ll leave it to you to stop using it if the time comes.”

Mya looked up, almost shocked. Ivy didn’t blame her. When was the last time they had talked like partners, had made physical contact? Mya hadn’t been much more than an extra presence, even if Ivy liked to think that she was better than people who used ghosts as tools. It wasn’t much of a difference, anyway.

The ghost’s face broke out into a smile. She really was beautiful and young, her knowledge coming from a life after death and not before. It was a tragic sort of thing, having a spirit ally. Those who stayed behind on earth were usually couldn’t accept that they were dead, and they were young. Other than watching over others, the only thing left to do was become a shaman’s spirit ally.

“Of course, Ivy-dono!” Mya said. “I’ll always take care of you, so you can rely on me!”

Ivy closed her eyes, and hoped that if she ever died and couldn’t be resurrected, Hao would feed her to the Spirit of Fire.

“Alright then,” the girl said. “I’m sure that Issebella’s going to burst in here any minute if we keep this up. Even if she said thirty minutes, I’m not convinced that she’s going to hold true to that.” Combing her hair out with her fingers, Ivy relaxed into a smile.

“The next priority is to prepare for the Shaman Fight tournament in two months,” she declared. It was meant to be more for herself, but Mya listened, rapt at attention. “I’ve been slacking lately, so we’ll be resuming training today. Issebella and Kaede need to be brought back to speed.” Ivy softened her voice, just a little. “I’ll be relying on you to keep me on track, alright, Mya?”

“Yes, My Lady!” Mya responded. She tucked her hands into her sleeves, holding them in front of her chest. The suddenness of the motion made her wooden medallions rattle.

Ivy walked out of the room, leaving the faint scent of smoke trailing in from the window in her wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to DarkCielo27 for the kudos and bookmark!


	14. Part Fourteen: Evaluation

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Fourteen: Evaluation

* * *

Breakfast had never exactly been a quiet affair with Hao’s followers, but it at least managed to be subdued in some ways. The more followers Hao had gained, the more they broke into groups, establishing small cliques. Things had shifted a bit since before they had left for America now that two of their number were gone, but Issebella and Kaede filled that gap with bodies and, in the case of the older of the two, plenty of noise.

Ivy heard them before she even barely made it out the door, and the onmyoji winced. Putting the past week aside, Ivy had usually managed to sit down with Hao and Opacho in a pleasant silence. She didn’t even need to hear Issebella’s shouting to know that those quiet days were over.

“So then, out of nowhere, this guy says—oh, there you are, _Principessa_!” Just like that, whatever story Issebella was telling cut off, probably to be forgotten. Kaede turned at Issebella’s shout, looking in Ivy in the eyes. She didn’t say anything, but the Chinese girl liked to imagine that Kaede was grateful. “Too bad, I was all ready to send _Dio_ to—”

“Aviantei-onee-chan!” a small voice called before its owner made an impact with Ivy’s legs. Looking down, Opacho was clinging onto her pant leg. “You finally came back! Where did you go? Opacho didn’t see you at all when she tried…”

Ivy knelt down, patting Opacho’s head the best she could through the little girl’s afro. Opacho must have been worried if she was using her gift of foresight to try and figure out where Ivy was. “Now, now, Opacho-chan, no need to worry,” she said. “After all, you’ve seen me farther in the future, right? And I’m always with Hao-dono. So of course I was going to come back.” She didn’t bother to answer the question of where she had been. Thanks to Mya’s tinkering, the memory was a bit fuzzy, and it was probably best not to try and force anything.

Opacho pouted, her eyes still watery. “Sometimes it changes,” she said. “It’s not always true, Aviantei-onee-chan…”

Right, the future could change. Thinking about it, Hao had mentioned that whenever they had discovered Opacho’s talent. While it was better for the African girl to be aware of this, it still took out some of the security of being able to see the future.

“Well I’m back and that’s all that matters,” Ivy said, trying to finalize the issue. “After all, you and I made the same promise, right? That we’d always stay by Hao-dono no matter what. It doesn’t matter what happens, I’ll never break that promise. So you gotta keep your promise, too, right?”

Finally, she seemed to have hit the right words. Opacho nodded, letting out a sharp exhale through her nose. “Right! Opacho will always stay with Hao-dono, and Aviantei-onee-chan will, too!”

Ivy allowed herself to smile a little, feeling at least a bit better. Opacho viewed her in a very high standing, enough to treat her like an older sister. Ivy couldn’t say if she felt the same almost familial bond in return, but keeping Opacho happy was still important to her. The small African girl was a vital part of the group, the only one of Hao’s followers Ivy didn’t mind at all, and being able to provide emotional support was nice in its own way.

Issebella giggled with her mouth full. At least she had the decency to swallow before speaking. “I never thought about it, but you’d probably make a good mom, _Principessa_ ,” she said. Ivy scowled, her cheeks heating up. Why didn’t the damn Italian ever just _think_ before she said anything? Issebella only turned around, tugging on one of Kaede’s blue sleeves. “Hey, hey, what do you think?”

Kaede only stared, unblinking, and Ivy willed the Japanese girl not to say anything. After some consideration, Kaede muttered, “ _Oka-san_.”

Dying would have been a useless endeavor since Hao could just resurrect her, but Ivy thought it would have been a better alternative. At least it would give her a few seconds of reprieve and some extra mana to boot. Here, she had been thinking of Kaede as some sort of ally, but instead she just inadvertently made Issebella’s active imagination much worse. This time, a new laugh entered the air, and Ivy did her best to compose herself.

“If you ask me, you’re all a bit too young to even be considering children,” Hao commented, his laughter mixing into his voice. It really was a nice sound, and Ivy felt her blush darkening for reasons other than Issebella. “Although, I guess there’s no harm in planning out your futures. Just remember that parenthood is its own sort of challenge… Oh, I would like to request that you save such life altering decisions for after the Shaman Fight as well.”

It was comments like that that served as a reminder of just how long Hao had been alive, all the experiences he had gone through. Still, something about Hao’s nonchalance let Ivy relax a bit, enough to balance out how much Issebella riled up her nerves. Using his words as encouragement, Ivy stood up to be on almost the same eye level as the Italian.

“Hao-dono’s right. This is a serious point in the Shaman Fight, so there’s no time for jokes like that,” she scolded. Issebella pouted but didn’t protest. She understood the importance of what they were doing. “We’re going to start training immediately so I can make sure you two are up to par. Anyone who can’t hold their own in a fight isn’t worth stepping onto the battlefield.”

Issebella only grinned. “If that’s what you think is best, then I’m in!” she agreed. “Kaede, you and I need to work hard so that _Principessa_ gives us her approval. The stronger the fighter you are, the easier it is to win. Oh, do you like winning? Maybe if we work hard enough, I can even praise you after victory and you’ll smile!”

Kaede didn’t look too motivated by Issebella’s words, but at least she wasn’t arguing. Ivy nodded. “Alright, let’s find some empty area to train in. We can’t have people interfering and I’m not in the mood for attracting the attention of stupid tourists.”

Issebella’s smile dropped a bit. Ivy frowned in response. “Well, that’s great and all, but…”

“But _what_?” Ivy was about to be on her last nerve with Issebella for the day, and it was still just morning. At this rate, none of Ha-Gumi was going to be able to get any training done, and the next stage of the Shaman Fight would probably be a disaster. A calming scent of leaves reached Ivy’s nose, probably Mya’s attempt to help her master relax.

The tugging on her pant leg made the gesture unnecessary. Looking down, Opacho hadn’t moved from her spot, wide eyes staring back up at Ivy. “Aviantei-onee-chan, you still need to eat…” the African girl said.

Ivy really didn’t get people. Was all the commotion they were throwing really about the fact that she hadn’t eaten yet? It was silly, and hardly worth all the fuss. _Well, whatever._ She was a bit hungry anyway, and food would give her the energy necessary to keep training.

“Don’t worry, Opacho-chan, I’m gonna eat,” she said. Issebella still had the lack of shame to look like an animal abandoned in some alleyway. Ivy scowled. “Wipe that look off your face, you idiot, I said I’m gonna eat.” As if acknowledging her was all that was necessary, Issebella broke into a smile once more.

“Now that that’s settled,” Hao said, accentuating the start of his sentence with a clap of his hands, “why don’t we all eat together? Since Kaede is new and Aviantei and Issebella have been absent, we should mark the occasion.”

Ivy didn’t know what about eating breakfast was special enough to be considered as a marker for any occasion, but she didn’t question it. Even if he was powerful, Hao had his strange preferences just like anybody else. Ivy wouldn’t have had time to get an answer anyway, Issebella dragging the Chinese girl along in the former’s excitement. Issebella even made a point of making sure Ivy sat by their leader and prevented any form of escape by sitting on her other side.

Ivy was used to feeling a bit embarrassed by being so close to Hao, so much so that she hardly blushed any more. Despite that reprieve, though, she still had an uneasy feeling in her stomach, one that didn’t have to do with hunger. It got worse when she looked at him. Ivy wondered if it had to do with the unstable state of Mya’s memory magic.

“Mya…” she whispered. Immediately, a new scent surrounded her, bitter, almost like dogwood. The uneasiness in Ivy’s stomach began to subside, and she was able to eat without the taste of acid in her throat.

The range of the spell was small, so no one should have been able to notice. Kaede was free of any dishes or plates, having insisted that she was full from whatever she had ate earlier. Almost like it was a secret between the two of them, the Japanese girl mouthed, _Are you lost?_ in her native tongue.

Ivy wanted to answer _yes_ , but by the time she could smell normal air and smoke again, she silently mouthed back, _No_.

* * *

With a full stomach, Ivy was finally able to detach herself from Issebella’s insistence on eating more, and Ha-Gumi finally set out to find a proper place to train. Ivy insisted on avoiding the rest of the Shaman Fight participants in any way possible, and they finally compromised by heading out of Mesa Verdede and settling down in some of the flat lands that surrounded the landmark and its hidden village.

Hao and Opacho ended up accompanying them, and Ivy didn’t object. She had the fleeting of thought of nausea at the idea, but it disappeared in the haze of dogwood inside her brain. Besides, it was only natural for Hao to want to observe his followers in training when they were effectively his weapons.

“Okay, Issebella, you’re first,” Ivy said, stretching out her muscles a bit. The motion made them feel raw at first, but became limber a few seconds later. Even if she was curious as to how Kaede fought, Ivy already had an idea of Issebella’s abilities, and it would be easier to come up with a training plan for her as opposed to their newest member. “Go ahead, come at me with everything you have.”

Ivy waited as Issebella pulled up her hair, making the unnatural brown crosses become dots in a surrealist painting. “You got it, _Principessa_ ,” Issebella replied, pulling up her sleeve. The silver bracelet glinted in the sunlight, the discarded fragment of armor serving as her medium. “Come on, Militaresco; time to show everyone what we’ve got.”

The knight’s ghost formed behind Issebella, nodding. “Yes, My Lady.”

Issebella’s Over Soul manifested, the long sword easing into her grip as its wielder shifted into a starting position. At first glance, the sword hadn’t changed much, but Ivy tuned into the elements on instinct, the metal singing to her. Whatever training Issebella had done in the time they were apart, it had changed her abilities significantly.

“It seems as if Issebella’s mana count has increased quite a bit,” Hao remarked from the sidelines. Opacho and Kaede sat on either side of him, the former enchanted by Issebella’s Over Soul, the latter not so much. Hao smiled as always. “I’m sure that this fight will be different than any you’ve had before.”

Ivy didn’t feel worried. In fact, she felt excited. Ren had shown potential and Marco had been a challenge in his own right, but this was different. While Issebella was annoying to the core, Ivy could at least respect her as a warrior. A fight that she couldn’t read because she didn’t know what her opponent had in store was an adventure in its own right.

“Hope you’re ready, _Principessa_ , because here I come!” Without even waiting for Ivy to engage her over Soul, Issebella charged, swinging the sword. Ivy utilized the Shamanic Oracle to dodge, but the leftover wind force was nothing to joke about. Even so, it seemed like that part of Issebella hadn’t changed—offensive and brash, a matter of brute strength.

“ _Sal!_ ” Ivy called out, and Mya responded to the cry, as did the elements. Much like her fight with Marco, the landscape had enough minerals in it to form metal, although not as much. Then again, Ivy didn’t have any need or intentions of using that much raw material, what little high quality metal she could muster alongside her personal metal fragments was just enough to form a sword that settled into her grip right before Issebella charged again.

Ivy only had time to raise her impromptu blade in a block, the sound of metal colliding ringing out. Issebella’s physical strength was no joke, and it was probably only from Ivy’s connection to the elements and Mya’s reinforcement in the Over Soul that kept it in one piece. Regardless, the force was enough to make Ivy’s arms shake, almost numb, and she connected with the earth for a second to pull back.

Issebella grinned, her assault continuing. In addition to being powerful, she was _fast_ , and it took a combination of the Shamanic Oracle, Mya’s guidance of the blade, and pure luck to prevent any of her blows from hitting home. Ivy grimaced. Stamina had never been one of her strong suits, and getting any replenishment from the leaves would take more time than Issebella would allow.

To make matters worse, Issebella’s Over Soul relied on a sword she had owned for years, so the metal inside of it was completely loyal to her, especially when combined with Militaresco. There was no way for Ivy to take control of it, plus it would have been pointless to break the blade considering that at the end of the day Issebella was on her side. Furthermore, Issebella had a base knowledge of Ivy’s techniques, to the point where she could read some of the Chinese girl’s movements.

Hao had been right, like always. For what had been meant to be just a sparring match, it definitely was different from any other fight Ivy had dealt with.

 _My Lady, if you keep this up, Issebella-dono will wear you down,_ Mya spoke up in the connection between them.

 _I know that!_ Ivy responded. _But I didn’t think it would be this hard to counter her. What do you think?_

The numbness had spread to her shoulders, and Ivy could barely keep a grip on her sword. Issebella had the look in her eyes of a predator almost ready to eat, and her strikes came faster. The range of her Over Soul expanded past the blade, and its edge found its way to Ivy’s arms. The only thing that prevented any blood was that Issebella was keeping her Over Soul blunt, but it still stung, forming bruises.

_She definitely didn’t have that much control over her soul’s refinement before, either…!_

_If you’ll allow me, to, I can lead a counter attack,_ Mya proposed. _If I do it correctly, it should be enough to knock her back. From there, I’m sure there are a number of things that Ivy-dono can do that should be enough to take the advantage. Although, if we are not successful, Issebella-dono will be able to take advantage of the opening we have left._

“Ugh, I don’t _caaaaare!_ ” Ivy shouted, and relinquished any control to Mya. The spirit was able to guide the blade into a successful parry, and the onmyoji’s outburst was enough for Issebella to lose her focus. Seeing the opening, Ivy moved with Mya, adding the extra force into the blow, Mya concentrating any mana into the point of impact against Issebella’s side, sending the Italian girl flying back onto the ground. “ _Tai!_ ”

This time, the earth itself responded to the command, rising up underneath Issebella and binding her to the ground. Ivy sent out a burst of her own mana and followed its flow through the Shamanic Oracle, stepping on Issebella’s wrist. The Italian didn’t release her blade, but her movement was severely limited. With ragged breaths, Ivy placed her blade at the base of her opponent’s neck.

“Your defensive and thinking on the spot capabilities need work,” Ivy assessed. “If you think you know your opponent well enough, there’s always a chance they can do something to surprise you.” In that way, Ivy had been unprepared as well. Regardless, she pulled back her control of the elements and stepped off of Issebella, setting the girl free. The onmyoji sorted out the metal back into the earth, and kept some of the new pieces in addition to her own, Mya taking the residual mana from the Over Soul and using the leaves to heal Ivy’s bruises. “Still, you definitely came at me. You might be able to overpower most of the people in the Shaman Fight that way, but be prepared for anything.”

Issebella hopped into a standing position from where she had been on her back, and cracked her neck. “You got it, _Principessa_ ,” she agreed with the usual grin. “Although, when you get worked up it’s _scary_. I’m glad you weren’t like that when we fought all the time, otherwise, _damn_.”

Ivy frowned a little. She really had let herself lose control in a fight. She didn’t do that, and she didn’t even let out grunts and shouts for the sake of concentration like other fighters, not even around someone like Issebella. Still, she had screamed out, and it wasn’t even an order.

_Just what the hell was that about?_

Ignoring the thought, Ivy turned to Kaede. Mya’s healing had refreshed her breath, and her body was relaxed like it should be. “Come on,” Ivy called out, “you’re next.”

“I don’t want to,” Kaede simply rejected.

“ _Huh_?” Was that a joke? “What do you mean you ‘don’t want to’? We said we were gonna be training, what did you think you were gonna be doing today?”

“I don’t want to,” the Japanese girl repeated.

Issebella laughed. “Kaede’s always like that,” she said, her arms folded behind her head. “She’s stubborn, too, so good luck convincing her. Although, if anyone can do it, I think it would be you, _Principessa_. Why don’t we hold a stubborn-off and see what happens?”

Hao cleared his throat, a soft sound, but still enough to remind everyone of his presence. “Let’s allow it for today, shall we, Aviantei?” he said, even though it was more of an order. Despite the ever-casual tones of his voice, Ivy didn’t like where this was going. “There’s another matter I’d prefer you address right now. Think of it as Ha-Gumi’s first assignment.”


	15. Part Fifteen: Contemplation

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Fifteen: Contemplation

* * *

Already, Ivy’s distaste was at such a level that she was radiating the emotion, and Hao got the distinct impression he would be able to sense it even without his abilities. Of course, there were a number of things that were offsetting her at the moment, and while it wouldn’t take too much time to properly pick it apart, there were other pressing issues to deal with.

“An assignment?” Ivy repeated, managing to keep the traces of anger out of her voice, but not the curiosity.

“Ooh, what sort of assignment are we talking?” Issebella interjected, already practically bouncing, sending her ponytail on a ride. It was probably better that she had tied it up or else it would be all over the place. “You said Ha-Gumi, so we’re going as a team, right? I can’t wait! I’m sure with the _Principessa_ on board, we’ll have all sorts of fun!”

Ivy grimaced as the Italian girl wrapped her arms around the shorter’s shoulders. “It’s supposed to be like a mission, you know,” Ivy grumbled out, eyes glancing to Hao for confirmation. To follow up, the boy nodded, but let the rest of their interaction play out. “That means there’s no time for screwing around.”

Issebella pouted but didn’t let go. “Come on, I know that. I was just saying that things would be fun since you and I get to work together again. Besides, you’ve never really gone out on a big mission before, have you, so it’ll be a new experience.” Immediately, Ivy’s ears tinged a pink, feeling like it was a loss that she hadn’t been sent on a mission before when several of the others had, Issebella included. “So, what are we gonna be up to?”

“While you two were sparring, Opacho gained a vision of the future,” Hao said, patting the girl in question’s head.

Opacho took this as her cue to speak up. “There’s a group of people coming this way. When they get here, they can make X-Laws and Gandala work together.” With the words, Opacho frowned, her eyes starting to water over. “It’s big trouble for Hao-dono.”

“Of course,” Hao continued, “it’s not so much as a problem as a potential inconvenience. It is my belief that eventually the other participants in the Shaman Fight will attempt to form a collective alliance against me. We have the power to defeat any such alliance, but this group will end up speeding up the process a bit more than is enjoyable. As such, I would like it for you three girls to go and eliminate this group so such a thing doesn’t happen.”

There was a small second for the words to sink in, before Ivy and Issebella spoke at once.

“Yes, Hao-dono!”

“You got it, _Dio!_ ”

In the edges of his vision, even Kaede nodded.

Hao smiled, clapping his hands together once. “Very good, then,” he said. “As of right now, there is only one group in the area that has sufficient numbers and mana values to even be close to the one that Opacho has described.” It had been simple to cross the images he had read from Opacho’s mind with the situation, and the Oracle Pager helped nicely when you knew its secrets. “That being said, you should be able to find them easily. To be more specific about what I would like you to do, you can take as much time as you need, but I would prefer it if this group doesn’t even come close to entering the Patch Village.”

As Hao had predicted, Ivy’s mind had already sharpened, and she was currently probing out into the area, trying to find her targets. It was amazing what a goal could do to reorganize her thoughts, and already Ivy was trying to form strategies based off of her own and Issebella’s skill sets, with some accountability for her limited knowledge of Kaede’s.

_Really, unbalanced one moment, sharp as a blade the next…_

“Okay,” Ivy said, her scanning successful. “It looks like these guys won’t even get here for another three days at least, especially at the pace they’re setting. While on one hand that means we have time, it isn’t time that we should waste. I can heal Issebella, plus we can gather some food and provisions for emergencies. If we move fast we should be out of here by this afternoon.” Without any apprehension, Ivy glanced between her two teammates. “Your thoughts?”

Issebella nodded her approval, smiling a bit. She was happy that Ivy was actually going to take care of her, believing it to be some sort of soft spot on the Chinese girl’s part. Hao couldn’t really say that was accurate, but it was a nice sentiment nonetheless. “Of course it’s okay, you’re the leader anyways,” Issebella spoke her approval. When Ivy’s eyes widened a bit in disbelief, the older girl chuckled. “Come on, if you’re the _principessa_ , that makes me your _cavaliere_. Besides, I don’t really have the right mindset to be a leader anyway.”

“I’m not interested in doing it,” Kaede said, sounding as bored as ever.

And when it came down to it, Hao couldn’t agree more with their set up. Issebella was the muscle and Kaede was certainly going to be the wild card. That left Ivy as the leader. After all, she was the one with the most straight-forward ambition in the Shaman Fight besides Hao’s ascension to godhood. She would need to be in charge in order to accomplish that.

“Fine, but you need to pull your own weight in this,” Ivy said, the smallest traces of her irritation coming through the commanding tone in her voice. Really, it was surprising she had gotten this worked up over a simple refusal to practice. “While we may have agreed to fight together as a team in this, that hasn’t been made official to the Patch yet. I won’t accept having someone who can’t even do that much getting a good reputation off of others’ actions, no matter what Hao-dono says.”

The statement did nothing to affect Kaede’s emotional state, and the small girl just stared as always. Even before, she hadn’t bothered to react to Ivy’s blatant anger. She had only spoken of some of her desires, and it seemed the most emotion she had was in getting what she wanted, no matter how subtly. Beyond that, her mana values from the Oracle Pager, while not overwhelming, were nothing that could be obtained without some sense of desire to grow stronger.

_Yes, definitely… Aviantei, I wonder, have you been too preoccupied to notice it? Ah, I’m sure you’ll see it in due time._

Hao chuckled, bringing Ha-Gumi’s attention back to him. “No need to worry, Aviantei, I’m certain that Kaede will be perfectly capable of meeting up to whatever standards you are concerned with upholding.” Ivy mentally tried to adjust her viewpoint, but something refused to budge. Regardless, she nodded. “That being said, why don’t you girls go ahead and prepare yourselves? I’ll be looking forward to a successful mission report once you return.”

* * *

At this point, there wasn’t much else for Hao to do but wait. Other than the approaching group, there were no other potentially harmful factors that could be an issue—and small issues at that—or couldn’t wait until the Shaman Fight. Beyond that, he had already made it clear to the rest of his followers that they were to avoid causing any trouble, and to keep up with their training. To this end, Hao kept track of their mana values through his Oracle Pager, but nobody appeared to be slacking in their duties.

In some ways, it was boring, although he did suppose that meant things were going smoothly.

“Kaede make Aviantei-onee-chan mad,” Opacho said, the pout evident in her voice. It was clear that the African girl’s habit of modeling her feelings after Ivy’s hadn’t faded at all and was coming through in full force. Stubbornly, Opacho crossed her arms. “Opacho don’t like her.”

Hao chuckled, sitting up a bit from where he had been leaning against a wall to get a better look at the Great Spirit and patted Opacho’s head. “There’s no need to be so aggressive, Opacho,” he said, making his voice soothing. Some of the girl’s anger dissipated in an effort to make Hao happy, but she wasn’t able to completely erase all of it. “If there were an issue with Kaede’s attitude, I would be sure to do something about it.”

“But Opacho and Aviantei-onee-chan and Issebella all train hard! She should have to, too!”

“Come now, you saw glimpses of her in the future a long time ago, remember?” It wasn’t reasonable to expect the girl to be able to remember every vision she had at such a young age, but this particular one had been from before the Shaman Fight had even started. Opacho had seen Issebella with a girl that was definitely Kaede, and so Hao had sent the Italian off on an unrelated mission—knowing that she would find the Japanese girl in the process.

“Yeah…” Opacho admitted.

“Then you understand that she’s strong enough to not be a hindrance to Aviantei. And even if she were, Aviantei wouldn’t let that stop her.” Her declaration earlier was enough to prove that. Ivy had even been willing to ignore Hao’s decision, something that had never really occurred before. If she was willing to go that far, getting to what she wanted was going to be no issue.

_Though when it comes to the things she wants, she still has a lot to work for._

Hao frowned a little, putting a hand to his chin in thought. “Although, given the way things are, conventional training won’t be of much use for Kaede,” he said. It wasn’t long before another chuckle left his lips. “Oh dear, Aviantei won’t be happy when she finds that out, though I think she’ll be able to adapt quickly enough.”

“Opacho still worried,” Opacho said. The African girl reached her small hand out to grab onto Hao’s cloak. Feeling her anxiety, he allowed it. “Something else wrong with Aviantei-onee-chan.”

Hao wasn’t surprised that even Opacho had picked up on it. Ivy’s outburst while sparring with Issebella was only one of several unusual factors about her behavior. After blatantly ignoring Hao for days and getting largely embarrassed in his presence, her behavior was back to the way it had been before their arrival in the Patch Village. Beyond that, there had been something unusual when he had read her mind earlier, although he didn’t have time to focus on it.

“There’s no denying that,” Hao said, his voice remaining even. It was unusual, but nothing to worry about. While it didn’t always happen in the best ways, it was still possible for humans to change their thoughts and behavior beyond what their expectations for themselves were. It could happen at any time, and especially in times of great stress.

The human mind would adapt to the circumstances that best suited its situation and capability to survive.

Opacho looked up to Hao, not quite at the same level of on the verge of tears as before. That didn’t contradict the utter sadness she was feeling at the moment, though. “Then what’s wrong with her?”

Hao exhaled. “Well, I’ll have to admit to not knowing all the details for now. However, I do believe that there isn’t anything particularly wrong with things staying the way they are now,” he said, knowing that should be enough to be reassuring. Still, Opacho bit her lip. “Oh? What is it?”

“But you know everything,” Opacho said, her voice almost trembling.

Hao let himself laugh a bit, cutting the sound off before it went too long. He picked Opacho up, sitting the girl in his lap and leaning back again. “While I do know a lot, there are new things happening every day,” he admitted. “So as I am now, there’s no way for me to know everything. But in regards to Aviantei, given a bit more time, I should be able to understand. Until then, all I can really do is give my best guess based on experience.

“Right now, there has to be something—or perhaps several things—that Aviantei is worrying about.” Their kiss was probably one of them. Of course, what he had done afterwards probably overshadowed that. She had been an utter mess after the initial contact, even if it seemed she had reset herself somehow. “Whatever those things are, she hasn’t upfront confided in me.”

Opacho’s head turned up, and Hao looked down to meet her gaze. “Opacho thought Aviantei-onee-chan talked to you about everything.”

Was that true? It was certain Hao _knew_ a lot about her, but that didn’t mean she necessarily _told_ him everything. There was a stubborn refusal in her to go that far, either because he was the issue or she didn’t think he needed to be bothered with hearing about certain things. She had been hammered down with independence as a child, and the things one was influenced by when they were young never really ever faded, no matter how much time passed,

“Well, we just haven’t had time to talk all that much,” Hao supplied as reason. Or rather, she had avoided being alone with him to talk about it. Still, Opacho was worried enough as it was, so there was no need to add that detail in. “But right now I think Aviantei’s found a different sort of way to manage herself at the moment, one that doesn’t exactly involve me. I’m sure after she’s taken sometime to figure that out, she’ll be the same as always.”

Opacho’s eyes seemed to be free of tears, but she was still frowning. There was a sense of dissatisfaction coming from her, too—after all, in Opacho’s eyes, Hao and Ivy worked together as a unit that took care of the African girl. Not necessarily parents or siblings, but two people that worked together and had always been in some sort of synchronization.

It was a simple idea, but for a child, it was dealing with the potential fragilities of their worldview that were the most difficult to deal with.

“Hao-dono should talk to Aviantei-onee-chan,” Opacho decided, like that would fix everything. At this point, it was a difficult idea to fulfil, though, which Opacho didn’t recognize in the slightest.

“I suppose you’re right,” Hao agreed anyway. Without some form of understanding, things would just get worse, although Hao believed that Ivy wouldn’t let things get that far. She was smarter than letting something like that get in the way of their overall goals. “In that case, I’ll be sure to talk to Aviantei when she and the others come back, and everything will get sorted out.”

Or, at the very least, he would be able to properly sit down and read her mind to figure out what was going on. That would yield the same sorts of results Opacho was looking for, and she probably wouldn’t even recognize the difference anyway.

This time, Opacho was pouting, but it didn’t make her any less disappointed. “Why no talk before she left?”

“Because I believe that Aviantei has found her own sort of answer so that she can do what she needs to for her mission,” Hao reasoned, and it was the truth. Her sharpness earlier had only been proof of that, and there was no need to undo her work. “And Aviantei needs some time to think. Battle comes to her without much thought. I’m sure she’ll be able to find more answers on the battlefield, and we’ll have even more to discuss when she gets back.” Finally, Hao tilted his head up again, enjoying the Great Spirit. “So no need to worry anymore, Opacho.”

He had hoped that would be enough to ease the girl’s fears. Instead, there was still a faint thread of nervousness reverberating off of her. He didn’t bother to take the effort to read it in detail. After all, being one of the few people who knew about Hao’s ability, Opacho had also been the only one to openly state that she hated having her mind read.

And from the perspective of the perpetrator, Hao hated it, too.

“Opacho see lots and lots of visions lately,” Opacho said without any prompting. “They little things. But still a lot.” Hao nodded. “Sometimes Opacho see Aviantei-onee-chan. Sometimes Hao-dono. Sometimes the others.” Opacho scooted closer to Hao, her small body almost sitting on his lap. “Everyone different. Everyone changes. Opacho don’t want everyone to change.”

Again, Hao was reminded of Opacho’s age. She had taken her own leaps and bounds as a shaman in her short life, but she was still a child. She didn’t know how to handle the world changing so much. She didn’t have the right understanding of the world to be able to process that change didn’t mean that things were destroyed.

“I promise things will be fine,” Hao assured, a bit of sincerity he hadn’t been expecting in his voice. It was something more like what Ivy would say. He didn’t stop, though. “This change is inevitable. Human beings are unable to remain stagnant for their entire lives, whether it’s something they recognize or not. Sometimes it’s regression, but I think what you’re seeing in everyone is growth.”

Opacho’s brow furrowed upon encountering an unfamiliar word. “Growth…”

Hao nodded. “Yes.” Opacho’s eyes begged for an explanation. “Growth is when people make progress, when they become better than what they were. Of course, growth is subjective, but that’s not what’s important.” Another confused expression from the African girl. “It means that what can be good for some people can be considered bad for others.”

“Like Hao-dono,” Opacho concluded. It was a bit blunt, but he couldn’t deny it. “But, what if it’s bad for Hao-dono? Opacho don’t want Aviantei-onee-chan to change that way…”

Her worries were unspoken, but Hao could tell easily. “There’s no need to worry. There’s nothing that would make me reject Aviantei.” Though, he couldn’t say with certainty that the inverse was true, regardless of his preferred outcome. Opacho finally seemed content, so he kept the observation to himself. “Everything will be fine. After all, growth as a person is essential to being a shaman.”

Opacho nodded in understanding, then her head started to droop. Hao considered the time. She was probably tired, especially after encountering all that stress. Sleep was what she needed. It would be better for him to rest as well.

He tuned into the elements. Their whispers told him that their princess was sleeping.


	16. Part Sixteen: Hypocrisy

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Sixteen: Hypocrisy

* * *

Ivy woke up with the sunshine on her face, and had to blink a few times to clear out her vision. It was the second morning since Ha-Gumi had left the Patch Village in pursuit if their targets. They had traveled as much as possible on as little rest as they could in order to get to where the large group was. Kaede had been more willing than Ivy had expected, and they had been able to get within a reasonable distance the previous day that they had rested early.

The Chinese girl spread out her mana and elemental awareness at the same time, and easily found the targets less than a mile away. Most of them were still asleep, with only a few of their number up and about. They woke up earlier than Ivy had anticipated, and she frowned a bit as she pulled herself to her feet, stretching out the kinks from sleeping on the ground.

It was a cheap and run-down bed in her room in the Patch Village that she had hardly used, but Ivy missed it just the same.

“Good morning, Ivy-dono,” Mya greeted, sitting nearby. “Today you’ll be making your move, yes?”

Ivy nodded. “Please go and do reconnaissance,” she requested. “If enough of them to be trouble wake up, report back immediately.”

Mya nodded, floating up from her spot on the ground. “And that number would be?”

Ivy smiled. “I’ll leave that decision up to you.”

The ghost flew off. Ivy got the impression that Mya seemed more cheerful than usual, but let it slide. They needed to get ready in order to have the ambush be successful. While Ivy didn’t get the feeling that having the entire group of enemies active would allow Ha-Gumi to lose, there was no point in getting cocky. Any fight between Shamans was one of heart, and even unofficial matches like this were no exception.

As expected, Issebella was sprawled out on the ground, snoring. As always, she could sleep soundly anywhere, and as such, was probably going to be a pain to wake up. Hoping for a less than obnoxious challenge, Ivy cast her gaze around for Kaede.

“You’re up early,” the Chinese girl remarked. Kaede looked over her shoulder from the small fire Ivy had given mana to stay lit throughout the night, and the onmyoji could see something cooking on a makeshift spit of what felt like Kaede’s own mana.

“I made food,” the smaller girl replied. Given that they were still in the desert it seemed like a miracle that Kaede had even found anything at all, but Ivy wasn’t going to complain. Being reduced to cooking meat, she couldn’t identify the animal, either, but food was food, and her first job had just been made much easier.

Ivy walked over to the small fire and picked up one of several mana skewers sitting by the edge of the fire. If Kaede had any protests about the meat not being done cooking, she didn’t voice them. The smell of cooked meat was enough to get Ivy’s mouth watering, but she settled for shoving the morsel into Issebella’s face instead.

“Time to get up,” she deadpanned, and the Italian girl shot up instantly, just barely missing capturing the food with her mouth.

“Good morning, _Principessa_ ,” Issebella greeted. “Is it breakfast time already?”

Ivy relinquished the food to her teammate with a sigh. “Eat fast, you two,” she ordered. “We need to get going if we want this ambush to be a success.” Far too happy to comply, Issebella rushed over to the fireside and began to devour whatever she could. Realizing that she could have to act fast if she wanted to have any, Ivy joined her teammates and began to eat.

For what had to be random catches, it was still good quality meat. The second piece was the same, and Ivy looked at Kaede, who didn’t make any comment, Issebella continuing to devour her meal without pause. Ivy reminded herself that the Japanese girl _had_ traveled with Issebella, thus probably knew to prepare for her appetite.

But still, being able to catch this much food in such a short amount of time? She had to be hiding something.

_Oh knock it off; you need to focus._

“The enemy is about two miles from here,” she said between bites of food. Ivy placed a hand on the ground, tapping into the earth, and relayed the information the elements told her. “They’ve rested near a small cliff and cave for natural shelter. I’ll set off a cave in to trap what I can, and we’ll pick off whoever’s left. No holding back is allowed,” she added, sending another glance to Kaede. Like the first, it was ignored. “We’ll head out as soon as we’ve eaten as to catch them off guard. Any questions?”

Issebella shook her head, and at least had the decency to swallow before responding. “Hehe, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you in action. This should be fun~.”

As quiet as always, Kaede only nodded.

Ivy stood up, disconnecting herself from the earth. She almost had to force it. Now that she thought about it, the information had come to her too easily, and she hadn’t had to ask any in-depth questions to get the details she had wanted. It was like the earth knew exactly what she had wanted.

* * *

It took less than ten minutes for Ha-Gumi to arrive at the cliff overseeing the enemy’s resting place. Ivy integrated Mya into the collection of soil in her pouch, then used that connection to spread out to the rest of the mountain. She adjusted her connection to the elements to tune out their voices while still receiving their help.

She had gotten so used to fighting with them that she didn’t feel confident not utilizing them during such an important mission.

_Pathetic._

“The same as before, Ivy-dono, most of their numbers are still inside the cave,” Mya reported, her spirit connected to the cliff. “However, more of them are stirring. The time to move is now, before they start to prepare themselves, especially in the case they’re prepared for combat.” They _had_ made it this far in the Shaman Fight after all.

“ _Tai_ ,” Ivy whispered, calling out for the earth. Otherwise, even starting the intended cave-in could just as easily stop prematurely or completely miss the intended target. This way, with Mya integrated in conjunction to using the elemental language, her control would be absolute. Ivy gave one last glance to her teammates behind her. Issebella nodded, a wide smile on her face, Over Soul brandished. Kaede didn’t look the slightest bit ready, let alone having produced any visible medium, but her expression wasn’t as disinterested as it normally was. Ivy assumed that was good enough and took a deep breath.

“ _Xiuenjo!_ ”

The cliff started to crumble instantly, and Ivy forced the rocks straight down, then out towards the rest of the enemy group. She forced a second disconnect from the earth and pulled Mya’s ghost back into a spirit ball. On the ground, a few surviving people formed their Over Souls, immediately sending projectile attacks in her direction. She dodged and followed the flow of their mana, integrating Mya in the air as she went.

One attacker was consumed in a flash of fire, and the smell of burning flesh hit her nostrils. Ivy connected briefly with her leaves to mask the scent, just as Issebella took her sword to the second attacker’s chest.

The blood didn’t even hit the ground before both girls moved to their next targets.

Issebella made a straight charge for a shaman to her left. Ivy knew the Italian well enough to conclude she would take care of any easily visible targets. She knew nothing about Kaede’s preferences in battle besides utter refusal, so Ivy decided to keep her out of the equation. Taking a deep breath, she collapsed her current Over Soul and redirected her mana.

For an onmyoji, control of the elements was only one of their abilities. While that sort of training had been what Ivy had been initially practiced in, Hao had shared some of the other techniques at her request. The fact remained that the most prominent use of onmyoji in Japan had been divination, and while Ivy didn’t have an interest in reading the greater picture of the future, she could appreciate what a few seconds of foresight could do in battle.

She usually didn’t bother. In most fights—and, she suspected, what would happen when she fought Ander—the time it took for Ivy to divine anything gave her opponent an unnecessary opening that didn’t need to be given. It might have been different if she had multiple spirit allies—Hao had mentioned having at least two on him at all times when he had formed the Asakura family. However, Mya was all Ivy had to work with, so she settled.

Now was a bit different. Any visible enemies would most likely be intercepted by Issebella. If not, Mya would keep an eye out for Ivy. And beyond that, there were screams and shouts mixed in with the cacophony of falling rocks, meaning that most adversaries would be in a panic.

That was plenty of time.

Not hesitating, Ivy took a deep breath and integrated Mya into her personal earth, no more than a collection of dirt. She closed her eyes, and tried to redirect the flow of mana. More than the earth itself responded, and a few small nature sprites came forward, which Ivy integrated as well.

 _Visualize a map. Mya is you._ Collecting a chunk of dirt into a ball with Mya as the spirit, she set it as the center point. _The other spirits will be any other life in the closet radius to you. Just let them do the work. If they lie, make them submit._ She winced internally at the word, but didn’t let it hinder her concentration. After a few seconds, the nature spirits started to chitter at her impatiently.

When she opened her eyes, several pebbles were floating around her center point, moving slightly. A larger clump of dirt collided with the pebbles, sending them back to dust, and they reformed in new places seconds later. That had to be Issebella. Which meant the other clump of dirt was probably Kaede. In a much lower frequency, pebbles that came near her disintegrated and respawned as well.

Ivy glanced over her shoulder where her map said Kaede should be. Rocks were still falling and dust and dirt filled the air. Ivy had been hoping to get a glimpse of the Japanese girl’s Over Soul, but there was no luck. Deciding there was no point in continuing to try, Ivy memorized her map the best she could and set into autopilot.

She focused on the enemies farthest away from her teammates. Some were active attackers, and Mya was flames once again, searing them. Others were still buried, but not quite dead. Ivy wasn’t about to take any chances, so they met the same fate. Once she exhausted her memory, the onmyoji doused again, and continued.

Over and over again. Until their bodies were ash. Until smoke was just as common a presence in her breath as dust. Until she wanted water in her lungs for the sake of rinsing them out. Until the pebbles stopped reforming and there was a cluster of nature sprites sitting on her shoulders that didn’t have anything else to do. Until the air cleared and the rocks settled and there were bodies everywhere.

Until there was a shrill scream behind her.

Ivy spun around, fire at her fingertips. The heat was enough to make her sweat, but never to burn. One last pebble matched up with the location of the voice, so that would be it. One last soul to free from its body and then she could go home. All it would take was a flick of the wrist and the will.

Ivy lost the second requirement the second she laid eyes on her.

The last survivor was a small girl. Younger than she had been. Younger than even Lyserg at that time. About Opacho’s age.

“Everyone’s…” the girl said. Her hands were covering her mouth, but Ivy could still hear the word. Her hair was long, bangs hanging in her face, a pale off-pink. She had a small pair of glasses almost falling off her nose. What had once been a white sundress was now covered in soot and dirt, and the same substances smeared her skin. There was no point in it, but Ivy absorbed the details anyway, without even meaning to.

“Dead,” she replied absently. The girl recoiled at the word. Ivy remembered that ordinary families didn’t talk about death as often as the weather, that ordinary kids didn’t learn about ghosts and spirits. There should have just been fear in the child’s eyes of not knowing what had happened, but it was worse. From her expression, Ivy could tell that the young girl knew exactly what was going on.

A fear of understanding.

As if to confirm the words the girl took a step back and tripped on a piece of rubble. In the morning sunlight, the reflection off of the screen of her Oracle Pager was a distracting flash.

“You’re in the Shaman Fight, aren’t you?” Ivy said, her voice having a strength she didn’t feel. Something finally set in her stomach, and acid ripped up her throat. She should have made Mya integrate to heal her, but Ivy couldn’t consider it. The girl didn’t—couldn’t?—respond, but she didn’t need to. “That’s why, then. Because you were all in the Shaman Fight and you would have gotten in the way.”

Ivy’s hands clenched into fists. She could feel the fire in her palms, and immediately extinguished it. Mya disintegrated, but kept silent. Even the whispers of the nature spirits ceased, and they scattered. These people…Ivy didn’t know if they were the girl’s family or not, but they must have been like it. Hao had mentioned their capability to forge connections between people, so for them to work together they had to have created a great bond between themselves.

Ha-Gumi had just destroyed the people closest to this girl. Ivy had done it with fire. She hadn’t thought about it, but any element could kill. She had the medium to do any. Earth was in the greatest supply. But she had chosen fire.

_It’s easiest to kill with fire._

Ivy hadn’t even notice she had been doing it. Her first kill hadn’t even been with fire, but it was what she had done. It had to have become a habit somehow. Was it after watching Hao that she had made the decision? No, it was more ingrained than that. No matter what, she couldn’t deny that it had always stuck with her, the heat of fire she associated with death, associated with him.

* * *

_"If it isn't little Avi-hime! How have you been?"_

He was a monster, dedicated to those that controlled him.

_“You see what happens to those who harbor traitors, Avi-hime.”_

He was someone that did nothing but destroyed, and moved forward on the wreckage he created.

_“You'll need your rest if you intend to give me a good game."_

He was someone that thrived on the pain he had given her, and wanted her to thrive on it as well.

* * *

_“Man, how unfair, you’re totally outclassing me and you’re two years younger. Oh well, I’m still proud of you, Avi-hime.”_

He was…

* * *

“Don’t go to the Patch Village,” Ivy said. “Turn around and go as far away from here as you can manage it. In fact, go back to wherever you came from.”

“My Lady?!” Mya exclaimed, the first words she had spoken since her initial report. The extra shout let Ivy know that Issebella had finally figured out the battle was over. Kaede was probably there, too, but Ivy didn’t bother to look.

Issebella strode until she was next to the Chinese girl, a frown on her expression for once. “Just a moment, _Principessa_ , that’s not what _Dio_ said,” she protested. Ivy barely even glimpsed at her. “You’re not thinking of defying orders are you? What if this kid ends up being the vital part we were supposed to eliminate, huh?”

It was a valid point. Ivy didn’t allow herself to acknowledge it. “This is your last chance,” she continued, addressing the child. Issebella’s face twisted in her peripheral vision. “I won’t show you any forgiveness if I see you again. Don’t continue the Shaman Fight. Destroy your Oracle Pager. Don’t look back. If you show up in the Patch Village or come to me with visions of revenge, I kill you, just like I did them.”

Saying the words was easier than it should have been. Ivy tried to ignore that. At some point the girl had started shaking. Issebella went to raise her Over Soul.

“Go on and _live_!” Ivy shouted. The Italian stopped in halfway through her intended motion. Kaede was at Issebella’s side now, her eyebrows raised the tiniest fraction. “Don’t think about this sort of life. It’s just fighting and strife. Don’t worry about revenge, either. Just make yourself into a person that doesn’t have to worry about anything but happiness!”

It wasn’t fair for her to say words like that. She didn’t have any right to lecture people. But she was tired of knowing that kids decided that their entire life had to revolve around vengeance, thinking that it would give them something back. _It’s not going to do it,_ Ivy thought, the idea striking her hard. _It’s never going to do it._

_Because even if we do manage to kill them, what then?_

“Estella, please!” a voice pleaded. Next to the small girl, a ghost formed, almost indistinguishable from the wounds on its body. It had to be a new ghost, most likely from one of the nearby corpses. It was morbid, but Ivy was almost jealous. “You need to get up and go. They’re too strong for you, so just run!”

The girl—Estella had to be her name—still didn’t move. She didn’t speak. She hardly looked like she was seeing anything. The same old story, except this time a ghost remained to give guidance. Ivy and Lyserg hadn’t had that, or a forgiving enemy. Maybe that would be enough to make a difference.

The ghost finally seemed to remember he could interact with shamans, even though he had been one until just recently. He grabbed onto Estella’s arm and dragged her forward. Her shoes slipped over the rocks and her legs flopped uselessly. “You’re going to get out of here alive no matter what!” The ghost looked back to Ha-Gumi warily, but none of them followed.

Finally, there was a movement. Estella’s small hand reached for her Oracle Pager. After a few false attempts, she undid the latch connecting the piece of technology from the think belt around her waist. “Estella…” the ghost said, the barrage of emotions put into the name making it hard to decipher.

“I wanna go home,” Estella whispered, the faint traces of an accent in her words.

The ghost nodded. “Then let’s go together.”

A strength that Ivy hadn’t possessed seemed to find Estella, and the girl broke out into a run, stumbling over rocks, but still moving forward. The ghost following her seemed loyal enough. They would be fine so long as no one else saw them as an enemy.

Remembering the situation, Ivy kept the tension in her muscles. She, Issebella, and Kaede had come on this mission together. There was a chance one of them would actually decide to finish it. The Chinese girl turned to face her teammates, ready to fight if she needed to, but there was no need.

Issebella was smiling.

“Hehe, you look so surprised,” she commented. Militaresco was at her side, meaning her Over Soul was no longer engaged. Kaede seemed as stone-faced as ever. Ivy reigned in her expression.

“What was all that about not completing the mission?” the Chinese girl retorted, her tension releasing in the form of venom in her voice. “Or was that just a bunch of hot air?”

Issebella shrugged. “Well, like I said, I’m your _cavaliere_ , right? If the _principessa_ says it’s okay, I shouldn’t make a fuss. I’m sure you had your reasons anyway.” Selfish ones, but reasons nonetheless. Issebella glanced at their third member. “Right, Kaede?”

“It doesn’t matter to me in the slightest,” the Japanese girl said. Her tone clearly conveyed that she didn’t want to be dragged into Issebella’s vision of the world, just like always. Still, it almost looked like there was a slight upward turn to her lips.

Ivy decided not to mention it. She wasn’t in the mood to see what sort of ridiculous outburst Issebella would have if she happened to gain a point in her stupid One-Hundred Smiles game.

“Besides, that was a good thing you did there,” Issebella commented, folding her arms behind her head. “Maybe not the best for _Dio_ , but that’s not the point. Who knows what that kid will end up doing now that she’s out of the Fight? Could be anything.”

“The power to forge connections between people…” Kaede muttered. It didn’t fit into the conversation at all. To Ivy, the shorter girl just sounded like she was thinking out loud. Normally, that sort of comment would be given a follow up, but the onmyoji didn’t really expect one. Issebella didn’t pursue the issue, either.

“Well, if she does come back, I’ll take responsibility,” Ivy said, hoping that would finalize things. It wasn’t something she would like to do, but she would if it was necessary. The remaining silence was appreciated. Ivy wanted to think about what was going on. Of course, she wanted to leave, but first… “ _Tai_ , x _iuenjo_.”

It was a quiet command. It shouldn’t have been as effective. But the earth listened anyways, the rocks beneath them sinking. Issebella let out a yelp of surprise. Kaede glanced at the ground then back to Ivy.

She purposely avoided the gaze. “We finished the mission. Let’s start heading back,” Ivy said. She walked forward, the rocks leaving a path open for her as they shifted, it was more than she had asked for, but Ivy couldn’t focus on it.

Before, it had been only two things for her: kill Ander and protect Hao. And that had been fine. But what about after that? Eventually Hao would be the Shaman King. He would be absolutely untouchable. He wouldn’t need her protection. He hardly needed it now. So what then?

 _Happiness._ She had forced the goal onto Estella, without any real consideration. Whether or not Estella would go through with it was a completely different matter, something Ivy probably would never find out unless things went in the worst case scenario. Still, it was unfair of her to expect someone else to work for a goal she wasn’t pursuing herself.

_I don’t know how I’ll achieve that, but there’s still plenty of time before then. I can’t move on without doing that at least first._

The sensation of causing death lingered in her hands, her heart. The memory of Ander smirking at her as she passed out kept resurfacing.

“At least I’m better than him,” she muttered. None of her companions decided to reply.

Behind them, the battlefield was buried, leaving only the open dessert.


	17. Part Seventeen: Hesitation

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Seventeen: Hesitation

* * *

Ivy stood outside. She could hear the elements whisper, but not understand what they were saying. Every now and then something would jump out—a word, an emotion—but that would only last for a second. It was frustrating. Ander could already issue simple commands and have the elements do what he wanted. There weren’t many he could do, but it was still better than what Ivy could accomplish.

She couldn’t even get the words to sound right when she tried to repeat them.

The young girl shook her head. She had to focus. This wasn’t her self-study time. Right now, she had a specific goal to accomplish. If she didn’t, it would mean that Ander was just another step ahead of her. Of course, Ander was two years older than her, but that was no excuse to let him get any farther away. Not to mention she would get scolded for failing, maybe even hurt.

This was _important_.

Before her was a man. He was on the ground, just hardly breathing. Still, he was alive, just unable to stand. Her teacher was good at that sort of thing—manipulating the water within the human body. By adjusting the levels, he could dehydrate, coagulate the blood, or even make the person react as if they were poisoned. Ivy briefly wondered which it was before focusing on her objective.

Today’s test was to prove she could kill.

There were no real limits on how to do it. Whichever way Ivy wanted was fine, so long as the man was dead. The only exception was to let him die of his current condition. Her teacher had made that clear. In that way, the man’s imminent death created a time limit.

Ivy didn’t know anything about him. He could have been completely innocent. He could have been a criminal and deserved what was coming to him. He could have been anything. The tone in her teacher’s voice implied that whatever Ivy did to end his life would be better than what he was going through, like she was putting down an animal.

She didn’t know why she was overthinking it. It was a simple task. She just needed to figure out how to kill.

_Kill?_

The man could become a ghost. Or he could pass on. Either way, he would cease to be alive.

“Kill, kill, kill…” Ivy murmured to herself, like it would give her ideas. She hadn’t been taught this. Ander hadn’t given her any hints despite the fact he had already gone through the test, though he rarely did anyway. It was just her out here, and a dying man who probably couldn’t think straight enough to give an answer he would be too weak to vocalize.

There was a pulse. A resonance. Ivy recognized it as the elements trying to make contact and opened herself to it. Their voices rushed and rolled over each other in chaos, until the interference started to fade, their communication coming as one harmonized voice.

_Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill…_

She understood it, loud and clear. The words before had never been like this. Ivy had had to force everything to hear those. This was a roaring she couldn’t ignore, getting louder by the second, urging her to use it, to say it with her own mouth, so that they could—

“ _Zin_.” The word came with purpose. It didn’t need to be shouted. The tone was enough. Instantly, Ivy could feel how the resonance was with _her_ , how it lined up perfectly and nothing could stop that, because the elements _wanted_ to be used to fulfill her desire.

The leaves ripped themselves off the trees. Ivy didn’t even blink. Hundreds of tiny blades flashed through the air in brilliant green, and embedded themselves into the man, sending red everywhere and staining the earth.

Ivy walked towards him. There wasn’t any breathing anymore. Not even the earlier twitch. She recalled her basic first aid instruction and put her fingers to what remained of his wrist. There wasn’t a pulse, either. He had to be dead. She had passed.

The girl pulled her hand away, not even caring that it was smeared with blood. Fully processing but not feeling any guilt over the fact that she had just robbed another person of their life.

She had been four for hardly a week.

* * *

The morning following the massacre, Ivy actually managed to wake up before Kaede did. The Japanese girl seemed to sleep in a straight line, and Issebella was sprawled out next to her, arm resting across the Japanese girl’s stomach.

They weren’t in a time-restricted situation anymore so Ivy let them be. Like every morning, Mya was at her master’s side with a greeting, although this time the cheerfulness that had present for the past few days was gone. Ivy’s own expression shifted into a slight frown. Her spirit guardian had been unusually quiet, even as they had set up camp the last night.

“You can speak freely, you know,” Ivy said, a terseness in her tone she hadn’t meant to be there. Knowing that a commanding presence was the best was to get results out of the deceased onmyoji, she kept it. “We’re going to continue our training when we get back, so you and I need to stay in sync with each other. This is no time for distractions.”

Even with Mya’s hands held inside her kimono’s sleeves, Ivy could still see them fidget. Mya stared at the ground in front of where she was sitting. Her hair and eyes were a dark brown only a few shades off of Ivy’s own, a reminder that her temporary dousing had been the last Over Soul they had engaged.

Then the flames she had almost attacked Estella with…

“For… Forgive me for saying so, but you were acting strangely yesterday, My Lady!” Mya burst out. Ivy wasn’t worried about Issebella waking up so easily, but Kaede could easily be a different story. She glanced to her teammates, who didn’t stir. “You ended up hesitating yesterday. It may have been for the better, but that’s still not like you. I’m worried that maybe…”

Again, Mya lost what little eye contact she had established. She made a more visible shift, and the scraping of her medallions against each other made it more obvious. “That maybe…?” Ivy pressed. If Mya was speaking out so easily, even with permission, it had to be something distressing.

Mya seemed to have regained control over her voice, the traces of panic almost completely smoothed over. “I’m worried that maybe the technique I used to seal your memories is having more adverse effects than I anticipated,” she said. No prompting necessary, the ghost continued. “It occurred to me that the reason for your stress was probably a major turning point for you as a person. Even though you only had to endure it for a week, it still would have had its effects. Taking that away may alter your decisions from here on out.”

_A major turning point, huh?_ Ivy hadn’t bothered to think too much about what had been bad enough for her to require sealing off her memories. Mya had mentioned the connection being unstable enough as it was, so she didn’t want to push it and possibly render the technique useless. Mya’s treatment of it as something greatly important made her curiosity strengthen.

As if in response, her heart started to beat faster.

“So then what do you suggest?” Ivy asked, trying to control her thoughts. She pushed part of her bangs out of her line of sight. “That we cancel the technique because it may make me a different person than I would have been otherwise?” Ivy couldn’t deny the possibility. Past experiences often shaped most people. She was a prime example of that.

Mya looked guilty. “I don’t know. I don’t wish for you to not flourish as a person, but I don’t want you to be in pain, either.”

The woman was thinking too hard. She had to be. Ivy considered all the factors, then tossed the train of thought out before reaching a conclusion. This wasn’t something she could give input in, since she was missing the vital piece of information—what was blocked out. There was no point in thinking about it anymore.

Ivy sighed, and Mya almost recoiled.

“I told you, didn’t I?” Ivy said, “That I was leaving the judgment to you. You have a lot more experience in existing than I do, so I don’t feel like I could just step in.” Mya’s eyes widened in shock, then her expression smoothed out into one of recognition. “I’m trusting you on this, Mya. So if you’re uncertain, don’t spend all your time rushing to make a decision. I can wait.”

“Ivy-dono…” Mya whispered. The awe in her voice made Ivy feel like she didn’t deserve it.

“Besides, I think I’m okay with what happened,” the girl said, hoping to avoid potential praise. “I’m not exactly sure of what the best way to try and achieve happiness is, but that’s something I have plenty of time to figure out later.”

“Happiness?”

“Ah, never mind.” Ivy had almost forgotten she hadn’t told Mya about her new goal. The ghost gave her master a skeptic look, but remained silent. “There’s something I wanted to ask you, anyway. Have you ever experienced the elements being easy to control? And I’m not talking about mastery, either. I mean a complete willingness with no resistance or need to prove yourself.”

Mya raised her folded hands inside their sleeves to her mouth like she always did when in contemplation. Ivy wondered if she had worded her question too vaguely. No, she couldn’t think of a better way to describe it. The day before, the earth had practically _given_ itself to her whims, and the earth sprites as well.

“Once,” Mya finally answered.

Ivy didn’t need to get any more details about the specific occasion. “And is that…common?”

“I wouldn’t exactly say so.” Mya rested her hands in her lap. As she spoke, her voice turned into the more metered tones of a teacher. “Sometimes, it will happen when an onmyoji has a powerful connection with an element. Others, when the element itself is feeling extremely giving. In some cases, a powerful spirit may owe a shaman a favor.” Ivy listened, taking in the information. “I wouldn’t be alarmed if you experienced such a thing. In fact, you should feel very lucky to be blessed by the elements like that.”

“Yeah.” Ivy nodded, trying to confirm it with herself. Her legs protesting from sitting so long, the girl stood up. “Well, I guess I should wake the others up, then. We should be able to make it back soon.”

Using a hand to shade her eyes, Ivy looked into the horizon. On the edge was the distant image of Mesa Verdede.

* * *

Ha-Gumi arrived close to evening. Making it through the maze to the Patch Village was easier having done it once. Even though Ivy knew the path she was following had several branches to it, she didn’t see them as she moved forward. Even now, the will of the Great Spirit was pulling her closer to the Patch Village. If it weren’t for that, Issebella would have probably gotten hopelessly lost before.

They made it back to the camp easily enough. Despite the time of day, it was mostly abandoned of Hao’s followers. There was the scent of food in the air, meaning dinner had probably concluded and everyone else was off doing their own thing. All that mattered was that Hao was still around, and the boy raised a hand, acknowledging Ha-Gumi’s presence.

“Welcome back,” he greeted. “I see that the mission was successful.”

Hao’s Oracle Pager was in his lap. He had probably been monitoring the remaining contestants in the Shaman Fight to see when the targets would be eliminated. “Yes, Hao-dono,” Ivy said in confirmation.

“Well, it’s good to be back,” Issebella declared. “Ah, there’s even leftovers! Excellent, I’m starving.” Without even waiting to be dismissed, the Italian settled down next to the food and dug in, several feet away.

“I’m tired,” Kaede said. It was the first thing that the Japanese girl had uttered close to a complaint this whole time. What had caused the sudden change in attitude? Exasperated by her teammates’ antics, Ivy looked back to Hao.

He offered his usual smile. “It’s fine, Aviantei,” he assured. “You all worked hard. I think that relaxing will do good. I can get a report tomorrow.” It wasn’t on purpose, but Ivy relaxed at the words. She was essentially off duty, though she kept a few guards up just in case. “Go and do whatever you want.”

“A bath,” Ivy said before she could stop herself. She had been thinking about it for a while now. Sleeping in the dessert had done a number on her clothes, and she felt covered in dust. Issebella may not have cared if she had added bloodstains to her dress, but Ivy was tired of dirt, no matter how useful the earth had been in completing the mission.

Issebella was too engrossed in her meal to care. Kaede had already vanished. Hao let out a small chuckle. “While they are penny pinchers, the Patch do at least understand basic necessities,” he allowed. “Of course, I’m sure you found the public bathhouses already. Why not go and relax yourself?”

“I’m coming, too!” Opacho said, seemingly coming out of nowhere and attaching herself to Ivy’s leg. The impact had more force than Ivy had prepared for, and she almost fell over. “I want to stay with Aviantei-onee-chan tonight,” the African girl insisted.

Hao let out another small laugh. “If you don’t mind taking Opacho along as well?”

“Of course,” Ivy agreed. She leaned down and picked the small girl up in her arms. Opacho reached her arms around Ivy’s neck, nuzzling against her. “We’ll be back later, then, Hao-dono.”

“Have a pleasant evening, Aviantei.”

* * *

Most people seemed to be eating, crammed into the Patch’s restaurants under neon lights. Thanks to that, the bath Ivy chose was empty, and set about washing herself down. It took longer than she expected since Opacho spent as much time with the soap as she did zooming around the room, but eventually they were free of most dirt.

Hao had always had a penchant for Japanese baths and hot springs, which was probably why Ivy had chosen one of the former. Regardless, soaking into the water felt wonderful, and she settled against an edge of the bath as Opacho spent the rest of her energy swimming around. She finally came to a rest into the older girl’s lap.

“Aviantei-onee-chan’s hair getting long,” Opacho said. Ivy reached up to touch her hair. Sure enough, it was starting to go past her shoulders. The last time she had trimmed it had been…in Japan maybe? She couldn’t quite place it. “Are you gonna cut it again?”

Ivy shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess as long as it doesn’t get in the way it can do its own thing.” Maintaining it had always been a hassle anyway. She wouldn’t let it get as long as Issebella’s, but a few more centimeters couldn’t hurt.

“It’s pretty.” Opacho reached out to a part of Ivy’s hair, too, and grabbed it without pulling. Ivy wondered if that was really true or not. It had been months since she had actually considered staring in a mirror and evaluating herself. Then again, she didn’t need to worry about such things while getting into fights.

Ivy closed her eyes, focusing more on the water. She didn’t know where to take the conversation, so she didn’t add onto it.

“Aviantei-onee-chan, can Opacho watch you practice every day?” Opacho asked. Ivy opened an eye and sat up straighter, keeping her hands on Opacho’s sides so she wouldn’t fall over. The young girl giggled a bit, but didn’t say anything else.

“Where’d that come from?” Ivy asked. Sure, she spent a lot of time with Opacho, but that was only because they were both in close proximity to Hao. For Opacho to willingly separate from the boy was unusual. Even if he did observe Ivy training a lot, it wasn’t like he was there every step of the way. She at least engaged in self-study often enough to not need his guidance, plus she would be directing Issebella and Kaede from now on, too…

Opacho smiled, pride in her voice. “Opacho saw the future! Hao-dono said I should look forward to it.”

She had definitely been getting a lot of visions lately. There was a chance Opacho was getting even stronger as time went on. “And what sort of vision was it?”

Ivy had expected an immediate response. Opacho liked talking about her ability, especially when the visions were helpful. At the moment, though, Opacho didn’t even open her mouth. “Opacho can’t tell,” she said, moving to cover her mouth with her hands, but still leaving enough room to be heard through. “It’s a secret.”

“A secret, huh?” Had Opacho decided that, or was it Hao? Either way, Ivy probably wouldn’t be finding out anytime soon. “Alright, if it’s that important to you, you can watch me train Issebella and Kaede-chan. Just make sure you work hard, too.”

“I will! Promise!”

With that, Opacho started humming a small tune under her breath. Ivy closed her eyes again, and Opacho didn’t interrupt this time. Something big—at least to Opacho—would be happening in the future. Sure, it was concerning that she wasn’t sharing, but Ivy could deal with it. Given that Opacho didn’t seem worried, it couldn’t be anything bad.

Besides, Ivy didn’t want to worry about the future right now. She sank deeper into the water, letting her head go under. She had enough stamina to not breathe for several minutes, plus she could adjust the water to give her oxygen if she really needed it. It was soothing, and Ivy hoped that the bath would stay empty for at least a little bit longer.

_Whatever it is Opacho saw, I guess I should look forward to it, too._


	18. Part Eighteen: Fragility

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Eighteen: Fragility

* * *

By the time Ivy woke up the following day, it was far later than she had expected, the clock on her Oracle Pager inching closer to eleven. Opacho had fallen asleep on the older girl’s stomach the night before, but was now gone. Ivy wasn’t sure if it was more surprising for Opacho, Issebella, or Mya to have let her sleep for so long, if not all three of them combined.

Regardless, she got ready for the day. The camp was still relatively deserted. It wasn’t exactly an unusual occurrence, as each of Hao’s followers had their own training regimens and interests to occupy their time. They would come crowding back as it became closer to the communal lunch hour.

“Good morning, Aviantei.” Ivy smiled.

“Good morning, Hao-dono,” she returned. Somehow, she felt more at ease, as if whatever had been distressing her before had melted away. It could have been a form of acceptance or the effect of Mya’s spell. Either way, Ivy was glad that she could converse normally with Hao again.

Hao made a gesture to the ground next to him, and Ivy sat down. She would have liked to eat, but that could wait if Hao had something he wanted to discuss. It could even wait if he was just in the mood for some idle company. It was the least Ivy could do to make up for her extended absence. Almost two weeks of not being around—whether it was intentional or on orders—really was too much.

“I heard the reports from the others about your mission,” Hao started, and Ivy had to reduce the tension in her muscles quicker than she had been ready for. Hao waited for her to take a few deep breaths through her nose before continuing. “Kaede decided to share something interesting with me. Would you like to hear about it?”

Ivy didn’t have to hear it to know what it would be. Even after three days, she couldn’t forget the look on Estella’s face, how much strength it had taken for the young girl to run away. Hao’s wording made it seem like Issebella hadn’t been one to let it slip like Ivy had expected. It wasn’t too much of a bother, though. If asked, Ivy would have told Hao the truth like she always did.

_You have nothing to be ashamed of._

Hao abandoned any pretense. “I must say, I didn’t expect you to make such a decision, Aviantei,” he said, tone more serious than it had been before. All the consequences Issebella had mentioned seemed more important than they had at the time. Nothing was likely to be a major obstacle, but it still could have displeased that his orders were ignored. Ivy’s eyes darted to the side. “Why don’t you share your thoughts with me, Aviantei?”

“I didn’t want to be like him,” Ivy said, her voice low. “Andie, that is.” She winced. She hadn’t thought of him by the nickname for years. Hao had to have noticed the slip up, but kept quiet. “I didn’t want that girl to end up like me.” _Or Lyserg._ “Vengeance makes kids grow up way too quickly, you know?”

Hao let out a quiet hum in contemplation. “That could have also been easily solved by killing her, too,” he countered.

Ivy couldn’t deny that. It wasn’t like refusing to kill Estella had made Ivy any better as a person, either. She was already a killer—a murderer. That had been decided for her before she could do anything about it. Some people could say that making the choice to let someone live made all the difference. Others would say it didn’t. Ivy didn’t delude herself either way.

The theoretical existence of sin did nothing to erase her own sense of guilt.

“Really, I just felt like it,” she mumbled. Suddenly aware of what she had just admitted, Ivy’s eyes shot up to Hao. He was watching her with a neutral expression. “That is!” Ivy stuttered, straightening up. “I’ll take full responsibility for whatever happens because of this, Hao-dono. If she comes back or you want me to go and hunt her down—”

The familiar chuckle was enough to bring her words to a close. “No such thing will be necessary.” Ivy’s cheeks heated up a bit. Really, she had gone and made a fool of herself over nothing. “I suspect that what you’ve done will be enough. The matter isn’t really concerning me anymore. And besides that…”

They were close enough that Ivy didn’t notice. Hao’s hand reached up to pat her on the head. It was a gesture she would have expected towards Opacho, but there was no reason to complain.

_Ah, he’s still warm…_

Still?

“It’s nice to see you thinking about such things. You’ve been so preoccupied lately that I was starting to get worried.”

“Preoccupied?” Ivy echoed. Hao had retracted his touch, and she went to smooth down her hair. The Chinese girl couldn’t figure out if she was supposed to feel happy or ashamed. After all, she was supposed to _serve_ her master, not concern him. In the opposite direction, the attention felt nice. It was probably a good thing no one else was around or else she would have to deal with the backlash—most likely from Mattie.

“Ever since the Shaman Fight began, or even before it.” Ivy hadn’t expected the answer. She had thought Hao was going to bring up whatever differences were caused by Mya’s spell. Hao continued, “Before, you were definitely driven by ambition. But once the tournament began, you insisted on nothing but being prepared for the fight to come. It’s been quite some time since then, you know.”

Hao was right. Over a year had passed. In fact, it had been nearly two. Even with all the gaps between the preliminary matches, time had seemed to be going so quickly. It definitely was a long time. Why hadn’t he spoken up sooner?

_Because killing Ander is what’s meant the most to me all this time._

“In other words, I was obsessed,” Ivy concluded, smiling despite the words. She shrugged. “Well, I guess that still hasn’t changed much.” Even now, thinking of Ander was enough for her to remember how much she hated him, that she wanted him dead. “I guess it’s just since then, other things have become important to me. It’s not that my goal’s changed, it’s just that there are other things alongside it.” _Like living, and Hao-dono._ “Is that so wrong?”

“Not at all,” Hao said, a small smile on his face. “Now then, in interest of the other important things, I’ve given Ha-Gumi the day off from training. I suggest you enjoy it.”

It took a few seconds for Ivy’s brain to catch up to the words. “But that’s—!” They had already been away for so long, and they hadn’t done any practice in favor of travel. That was fine when it was for a mission, but wasting any more time would just be impractical. Beyond that, she had spent an entire night to rest and relax already. “Really, if the others want a day off, fine, but I—”

_Aviantei, feel free to not come to training tomorrow._

A sharp smell hit Ivy’s nose, stopping her breath and words at once.

“Aviantei,” Hao said lightly, “this isn’t about your physical level of rest. Shamans also need a sound state of mind when they work. While I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think you were capable, sending people with so little experience at life to kill is nothing to be taken lightly.” Ivy almost flinched. Hao _was_ a thousand-years-old in spirit. He already had several lifetimes behind him.

It was no wonder he made killing look so effortless.

“There’s no sense in getting used to handicapping yourself. Especially not for the battle ahead of you, Aviantei.” Hao’s words contained a gentle yet firm tone. “That being said, my decision has already been made. It would be tedious, but I suppose I could make it an order if that would make you feel more at ease about it.”

“No, it’s fine,” Ivy conceded, her voice quiet. There was no point in arguing anymore, either. Even she had to admit that she didn’t feel well anymore, though it was just a headache. “I think I could use the day off. We can pick up training tomorrow, just like you said.” She forced a smile before standing up. “I’m going to go find a place out of the way. I think having Opacho around last night wore me out. Some time to myself, maybe…?”

And with that feeble excuse, she left.

* * *

Hao watched Ivy’s retreating back. She was walking, but there was enough tension that without reading her mind he could tell she was resisting the urge to run. Then again, the whole entire conversation she had been giving off strange pulses in her thoughts, especially near the end. Hao had noticed them before she had left for her trip, but was now able to confirm it.

_Ah, that Mya is definitely a creative thinker. And powerful, too. I guess I was right when I approved her as Aviantei’s spirit ally._

It was an unusual use if the leaves, but Hao still recognized it. A technique capable of manipulating memory. In that case, his actions before were probably covered up. In some ways, it was disappointing since he had lost what little progress he had obtained.

“But I guess it really is okay for Aviantei to forget something like that for now.”

Hao shook his head. After a thousand years, he probably should have learned to stop talking to himself. Returning a dislodged lock of hair to its place, he looked back up to the sky, once again making eye contact with the Great Spirit.

_I do have other goals to focus on. What I want out of Aviantei is only one of them. Forcing those intentions on her isn’t going to make either of our goals any easier._

Well, it wasn’t like his energy couldn’t be redirected for the moment.

But that didn’t mean he had to stop, either.

* * *

When Ivy finally stopped to think, she stood still. The need for a few deep breaths confirmed that she had been running. Glancing around, she realized she was in a different secluded area of the Patch Village, filled with rocks and moss. Ivy let out a bitter chuckle. She always ended up in areas with any form of plant life when she wasn’t paying attention.

“My Lady!” Mya called, arriving at Ivy’s side. If it were possible, the spirit would have probably sounded out of breath. In any event, she took a moment to compose herself. “I’m sorry about that. I haven’t been monitoring the spell’s progress like I should. I knew it would break sooner than usual, and yet…!”

Of course. The sharp smell earlier had to have been Mya’s spell. Ivy had figured that much.

The Chinese girl shrugged. “It’s alright. I’ve already forgotten whatever it was.” It was strange, being aware of it without being aware of it. She just _knew_ it had happened based off Mya’s reaction. She had just experienced it only a short time ago. But if she tried to remember anything about it, she couldn’t. The experience had simply disappeared. If Mya hadn’t brought it up, Ivy was sure that she’d be concerned about her current location even.

It would have been scary if Ivy didn’t already have several things that took the top rankings for that adjective.

“I still feel like I should apologize.” Mya’s eyes were cast down again. “You gave me the permission and the power to be able to use the leaves whenever necessary.” Knowing that it was pointless to say she could without making it _that_ she could, Ivy had left a bit of her mana inside her collection of leaves just in case. At the reminder, the shaman replenished the supply. “I was late to react. I even knew that you needed a stronger dose and more attention than usual, but I neglected that duty. Ivy-dono, I truly am sorry.”

Brushing it off wasn’t going to cut it, not if Ivy didn’t want her spirit to have a similar guilty response every time she made a small mistake. The onmyoji put her hand on Mya’s arm, again noticing the odd sensation.

“That’s enough,” Ivy said. The words weren’t harsh, but she wasn’t sure if they were gentle either. That wasn’t something she had been taught much of, though it wasn’t like she was completely clueless. “We need to just focus on the future, right? You’re my partner, Mya. And like I said, I trust you.”

This was probably something else Ivy had always meant to do. Mya had been her first true spirit ally after years of talking directly to the elements and having small nature sprites help her out at times. Hao had taught Ivy how to use her. Mya had given her own teachings on occasion. Ivy respected Mya as a person, but the ghost still treated the shaman like her master.

“Remember when we first met?” Ivy asked. She sat down, folding her leaves up to her chest. Even having the little bit off moss around was relaxing.

Mya hovered down to Ivy’s level. “Of course,” the spirit said, a smile on her face.

“How about I make good on that proposal?”

Mya hesitated. Ivy could tell. There was shock on the woman’s face, too, slight, but still present. After some time, the smile returned, except this one was incredibly warm in comparison. “I would really like that, My Lady.”

Content, Ivy closed her eyes. That just made one more important thing for her to focus on.It

* * *

wasn’t like Ivy hadn’t traveled before—she had left where she had been training and ended up at her parents’ home, after all. She had even gone as far as the Ren estate in Eastern China. Still, traveling with Hao was completely different, the most notable thing being his preference for out of the way paths that had hardly any contact with paved roads or cities.

They were still in China, getting closer to the western border by the day. Soon they would have left the country. Ivy couldn’t help but be nervous. There had been talk of her and Ander visiting Japan once, but she had left before that could even happen. Actually leaving the country let her feel excited, but she wondered what kind of places were out there.

Hao had told her some things, but he had reassured her that it was better to see it on her own.

“Why don’t we stop here for the day?” Hao said. Ivy stopped behind the boy just as the small Over Soul of the Spirit of Fire came into existence. Hao plopped down on the grass, his spirit ally going off to find food for lunch. Ivy hesitated, remaining standing. Hao glanced at her. “Is something wrong, Aviantei?”

Ivy almost jumped. She didn’t know how she felt about that. She had spent the last year relaxing, but a lot of her training kicked in every now and then. Maybe it was just that after traveling with him for almost a month, Hao _still_ managed to catch her off guard every time he said her elemental name.

“No,” she said. Unnerved by Hao’s gaze, Ivy couldn’t maintain eye contact. She settled for staring at the clear sky. “I just want to walk around for a bit.”

Hao tilted his head. “You’re not tired?”

This time, Ivy shook her head. “It’s not good for your muscles if you just stop in the middle of physical activity. You need to wind down first,” she recited. While her training in the past had been harsh, it still recognized that the body needed to be taken care of to make progress. “I’ll just go around for a short walk. I’ll be back by the time lunch is ready.”

Hao didn’t give any objections, waving a hand to dismiss her. Ivy turned and wandered off at a slow pace. Once she was out of Hao’s sight, she started to jog. She had been lying about not being tired, and her legs were burning. But this wasn’t something to ignore.

When she had listened to the elements, they had sent a whisper to her.

_She’s here. You need to find her. You need to wake up Tiartha._

Ivy didn’t know what it meant. But she did know that “here” was temporary for her, and after they had lunch, Hao would pick things up again and they would be gone. She continued to listen, and the elements pushed and told her which way to go. Finally, they stopped. Ivy looked around. It didn’t take much to see what she needed to find.

A woman with white hair lying on the ground at Ivy’s feet. A black kimono with a white sash around her waist. Several medallions around her neck. Upon closer inspection, a ghost. Completely asleep and abandoned.

The last word had been the elements’.

“Tiartha?” Ivy guessed.

The woman responded, opening her eyes. They were white, too, only a thin line separating the iris from the whites. She didn’t look completely awake. “ _Who?_ ” she asked, the word in Japanese.

Really, Ivy was becoming increasingly thankful for the language lessons she had received. Being multilingual had only made this contact and the one with Hao easier. Considering it seemed like he had every intention to travel around the world, having learned English was bound to be just as helpful in the near future.

“A spirit,” Hao remarked, suddenly at Ivy’s side. The girl managed to contain her yelp of surprise, but still recoiled back. Hao only continued to look at the ghost. “She was an onmyoji, once. She may prove to be a powerful spirit ally if you wish, Aviantei.”

Ivy looked back to the ghost. The woman had sat up by now, a sudden look of interest on her face. Ivy was still trying to figure out the proper reaction to the idea of having a spirit ally. True, she had wanted one for some time, but it still seemed unnecessary. She had managed with relying on the elements directly for so long.

“The Shaman Fight does require the use of an Over Soul,” Hao added.

Ivy pressed her lips together.

The woman blinked again, and this time Ivy got the sense she was actually being _seen_ now. “Are you the one who called for me?” she asked.

Ivy tried to remember doing such a thing. “Tiartha?” she guessed.

The woman exhaled. “Please, that’s not necessary. I am Hitsubushi Mya. It’s a pleasure to meet someone again after so long.”

“Why are you here?” Ivy asked. Hao tended to converse in Japanese, so the girl had been following his example. When she started thinking about it, though, it really was strange for a Japanese ghost to be in the middle of rural China. Sure, some ghosts did wander, but this was almost too much.

“Now, now,” the woman chided, a soft laugh in her voice, “there will be plenty of time for those sorts of questions later. That is, if you do intend to take me as your spirit ally.”

Ivy considered it. She really considered it. Her parents had had spirit allies, and so had her teachers. Her parents had said that having a spirit ally created a great bond between the shaman and the ghost. Her teachers had been too focused on her innate abilities with the elements to care. Ren had talked about his own ally, had bragged about it, like the warrior had been an object to show off.

If she took that chance, what would it be for her?

Even now, Hao and Mya’s words bothered Ivy. They talked like a spirit ally was an asset, something that was only Ivy’s decision to make. Maybe it was different for Hao and the Spirit of Fire that never said a word, but Ivy didn’t want any potential relationship to start out that way.

Ivy took a deep breath. She imitated her parents’ smiles as best she could.

“My name is Lon Ivy. Why don’t you come with us?” Ivy said, extending her hand. “We could be partners.”

The blank expression on Mya’s face slowly became one of contentment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the guest for the kudos!


	19. Part Nineteen: Combination

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Nineteen: Combination

* * *

When training resumed, Ivy started out with self-study. She had already thought up several things for Issebella to work on, and had even made ballpark guesses at a few ideas for Kaede. The probability was likely that Kaede wouldn’t do any of it, but Ivy had other things to deal with. She would have to make up for Kaede’s input, and to do that she needed to get her own abilities under control.

She had made a promise to Mya to start acting like the partner she had hoped to be. It was time to start, even if Ivy was almost a decade late.

“Alright, our integration and control isn’t the issue,” Ivy said, sitting cross-legged on the ground. Mya replicated the position, although she was floating a few centimeters above the earth. “We both know the actions for most elemental attacks, so your strength supplements mine. Plus, I think we’ve worked together long enough that you know my attack and defensive styles so that you can assist in those motions as well.”

“But that’s only a one-way act,” Mya said, though she hesitated at first. For them to be partners, they needed to be on equal footing. The ghost was having a hard time adjusting to the “free to speak,” part. “We’ve only integrated with each other a number of times before you formed your Over Soul. My actions and battle instincts aren’t something you have any experience with, save for a few snippets.”

Ivy nodded. It was a fair assessment. Most shamans tended to have a similar approach, but that didn’t mean it was the best. Maybe not all guardian spirits were fighters when alive, but it was a waste of a resource if they were and that knowledge didn’t get passed on.

“I was taught Kung Fu when I was younger, but I didn’t reach any sort of mastery in it,” Ivy continued. That was directly attributed to her cutting the training short when she ran away. “Short range combat isn’t my preferred style. Still, some of the motions can come in handy when encountering it. Blocking and the Shamanic Oracle are techniques that only can get so much use depending on the opponent.”

Mya raised a covered hand to her mouth and thought for a few seconds. “I was only ever taught how to fight as a shaman. My guardian ghost at the time was a water spirit, so it mainly had me focus in those aspects and how to have increased mobility in water environments. Beyond that, I was only ever taught to stay with other fighters and how to perform what would now be considered traditional dance.”

Ivy took some time to process the information. She hadn’t ever really talked with Mya about much other than teachings. These were things Ivy should have asked from the very beginning. While she knew how to use it, water wasn’t an element that Ivy utilized often, and it was probably the one that Mya would be most useful with at that!

And the dancing. Ivy didn’t know much about Japanese dance, but what she could imagine it to be like seemed to fit Mya perfectly. While it wasn’t exactly a combat style, it would provide an interesting alternative to standard fighting movements. Acting outside of expected rhythms was a good way to throw opponents off, too.

“Okay, then we should start with standard integration,” Ivy decided. She stood up without using her hands, and Mya quickly shifted into her spirit ball mode. “I’ll leave everything up to you and observe. We can focus on me replicating your exact movements on my own later.”

Mya nodded, her entire spherical form moving at once. “While that may be the best outcome, I think having an actual sparring opponent will do better.” Ivy had to agree. Reciting movements was useless unless she could see their proper function.

_So then the only option is…_

“Hey, Issebella!” she called. The Italian was some distance away, but not enough that she was out of sight. Issebella looked up at her name, stopping the motion of her sword. Ivy went to join her, Mya sticking by her partner’s shoulder. “Why don’t you do a little sparring with us so we can get this down?”

Issebella’s expression turned quizzical. “But you said to do self-practice today, _Principessa_ ,” she protested.

“Yeah, well…” Ivy tried to find the right words. “You’re going to be working with the same goals; just I’m going to be a live body to practice with.” She held out her hand, and Mya floated to rest above her palm. “Mya and I want to try out some integration, so we’ll start out on defensive. You go ahead and focus on whatever offensive techniques you want to practice with.”

Issebella only frowned more. “Even though you specifically told me to focus on my defense?”

Ivy grimaced. She needed to think ahead more with her orders. Being a non-contradictory leader was difficult. She wondered how Hao managed it all the time. “Well, tomorrow Mya and I will take offensive and you can defend far past your heart’s content,” she compromised. Of course, she had no idea just _how_ they would take offensive and be successful, but Ivy was sure they could figure it out.

“Alright then.” The Italian finally nodded. “If that’s what the _Principessa_ says, then that’s what goes.” She lifted her sword from her side, putting it forward. Ivy took a few steps back. “I know you have Mya, but I’ll just go solo. Militaresco can watch and figure out my technique from the sidelines.”

The knight only nodded, keeping his calm for once, and flew off to a reasonable distance from upcoming fight.

Ivy took a deep breath, steadying her hand. “Integration,” she murmured, even though it wasn’t necessary, bringing her palm to her chest, taking Mya with it. The ghost slipped into Ivy’s body, and the Chinese girl took what little influence she had to relax so that Mya could have control.

It had been years since she and Mya had integrated. The feeling of Ivy’s body no longer being her own was foreign. Because of the time, her body almost resisted Mya’s first few, tentative movements. When ghost and shaman shared a body, usually it was the latter’s response to take the lead, if ever so slightly. That way, the pair wouldn’t be stopped by trying to take opposing movements.

Ivy let the reverse be true. It was how she imagined being possessed would be like, not being in control. Having to feel your muscles getting pulled along by someone else. There was one major factor that set the two apart.

Integrating with Mya was undeniably _warm_.

“Okay, since I’m on offense, I’ll start!” Issebella declared. As per usual, she charged forward. It was an easy to read attack, and Ivy had to resist the urge to dodge on her own. Even though Issebella was attacking as a human, she still gave off a subtle flow of mana that would have been enough to utilize the Shamanic Oracle with.

Mya didn’t do that.

Gracefully, she stepped to the side. Issebella made a quick turn, stopping close to Ivy and moving to strike. Again, Mya made an almost miniscule movement, turning in a circle and dodging out of range of the blade again. She continued, staying within a close area but never being struck, the sword not even able to rip Ivy’s clothes.

Issebella didn’t make all upfront attacks, though. She added flourishes and minor movements to her swordplay that were distracting, or even misleading tells. Mya clearly had enough experience to see through all of them, but Ivy could tell Issebella’s finesse wasn’t just for show.

It was proof of how deadly she could be when she adjusted her movements.

It didn’t matter that Ivy wasn’t in control of her body anymore. She was too caught up in the exchange. She knew she should be paying more attention to the sorts of movements that Mya was making, but Ivy kept getting lost in a flash of Issebella’s sword or a twirl that would have sent Mya’s hair flying in a curtain if she were in her own body. Ivy wished she could have the chance to see Mya perform outside the battlefield.

Even so, in that moment, the woman was beautiful.

* * *

The next day, Ivy stretched out a bit before training. Issebella was already ready, Militaresco at her side. This time, Ivy would be letting Mya use her body to attack. As an onmyoji, the spirit had some control over the elements without a spirit ally. It wasn’t quite like fighting an Over Soul, but it would be unfair to not let Issebella have the ghost just in case.

“Okay, I’m ready,” Ivy said. Issebella quickly formed her Over Soul and fell into a defensive position. Mya went into her spirit ball mode, and this time Ivy placed her body in control of Mya’s soul with more ease.

_Integration._

“ _We’ll be making the first move this time, if you don’t mind,_ ” Mya said, speaking to Issebella. The Italian grinned.

“Show me what you got,” she responded.

Mya set off at an incredible speed dragging Ivy along for the ride. Hoping to make things easier, Ivy put it into her influence to keep up. Just as suddenly, Mya stopped, managing to make it inside Issebella’s guard. Ivy expected the older girl to try for an attack, but she fell back, her Over Soul shining.

“ _Aruan,_ ” Mya said, her hand held over Ivy’s packet. The water hadn’t been used in quite a long time—Ivy couldn’t even remember—so it should have offered some resistance. Under Mya’s touch, Ivy could tell it was submitting completely. A flick of their shared wrist sent the small forward as a projectile, which Issebella managed to narrowly deflect with her sword.

“Not bad.” Mya gestured, the water coming back, pulsing with each movement of her fingers. The spirit sent a smile to Ivy’s lips. “I already know there’s no point in trying to put a dent in your Over Soul with just this. But if I manage to get around it… Do you think you’ve had enough training to stop me, Issebella-dono?”

Issebella grimaced a bit. Ivy wondered just how much force Mya’s attack had hit the Over Soul with. “Don’t let her work you up,” Militaresco advised. “If you let her get under your skin, your meager defense will suffer more than necessary.”

“Calling it meager in front of the enemy is a bit unnecessary, don’t you think?” Issebella sighed.

“I already know how bad your defense is,” Ivy allowed herself to speak up. “There’s no sense in trying to hide it. Besides, that’s kind of why we’re training right now, after all.”

Issebella still didn’t look too pleased. “Yeah, yeah, I know…”

Mya didn’t hesitate. The opening was there. Ivy would have taken it, too. Another gesture was all it took for the water to make its next assault. Issebella moved to block it again, but before it collided with her Over Soul, the water split. Several smaller beads went off and curved around the edge of the sword. Ivy couldn’t tell exactly where, but she could tell from Issebella’s grunts that they had hit their targets.

It was the sort of precise control that Ivy could only manage over the leaves.

_So then with Mya’s water affinity… No, it’s really obvious, I should have known._

Mya recalled her water pellets, forming them into one sphere again. “Now then,” she said. “Why don’t we continue? I may have a limited resource, but I am definitely more than capable of putting you through the ropes.”

Issebella rubbed her wrist but didn’t waver. “I guess I need go for it,” she said. “After all, if I can’t get better I’m going to lose my spot as the knight, you know!”

Ivy couldn’t help but think it was ridiculous. Not because of Issebella’s insistence on making roles for everyone, but because “knight” was never going to be the right word to describe Mya.

_Tiartha. She’s the water’s priestess._

* * *

Practice definitely was showing its improvements after a week. Issebella still had her major weaknesses, but she was steadily improving them. Ivy was starting to try and replicate Mya’s movements, and while she couldn’t do it perfectly, it definitely increased her options in a fight. She had tried using water a few times, too, just to see what it would be like with Mya’s spirit and expertise in the Over Soul.

The response of the water was almost overwhelming. Just like before with the earth, each molecule of water seemed to want to obey. It was necessary for onmyoji to enforce a certain level of submission from the elements. Still, most were lucky to get a mutual respect, one where the elements would follow requests so long if they considered the person worthy. Having a spirit ally only made the process easier, since often the onmyoji was borrowing the spirit’s influence for themselves.

This much willingness was almost unnerving.

Ivy hated it. Not because it wasn’t useful, but because it was interfering with her training. She had hoped that whatever good mood the elements had been in would have faded. She wanted to see what her training with Mya would do for their Over Soul. She had been aiming for being able to have their coordination enhance their battle synchronization.

The elements’ absolute willingness made that sort of thing hard to decipher.

_That much submission…_

It almost scared her.

* * *

Pulling up the hood on her short-sleeved jacket, Ivy meshed into the crowds inside the Patch Village, Mya at her side. Despite Ivy’s best efforts upon their reunion, Issebella still had a chunk of money at the ready. Kaede seemed to have some savings as well. They had offered Ivy money, but she had initially refused it.

Only to have a bag of mixed nationality currency dumped on her pillow later the same day.

She had tried to return it. Her teammates either refused or disappeared whenever it was brought up.

Ivy guessed she couldn’t really complain. She could at least manage the basics of hunting, and Kaede always seemed to be able to produce some of the best game possible, but nothing could beat properly cooked food. Ivy guessed that stealing _could_ have been an option (she was thoroughly convinced that was how the rest of Hao’s followers had accumulated their camp back in Tokyo anyway), but it didn’t settle right with her. Having money was the easiest way to get what she wanted.

Thanks to the donations from the members of Ha-Gumi, Ivy had gotten into the habit of eating at least one meal a day in the Patch Village, the rest back at camp. She had spent several days in a row frequenting the same pseudo-Chinese restaurant. While admitting it was silly, Ivy was actually in the mood to eat a different style of cuisine, though she didn’t know exactly what.

She had to push her way through the crowds now, unlike when she had first arrived. More and more people seemed to be making it to the Patch Village. Really, the Great Spirit was being too kind if it considered this many people to be worthy. Ivy wondered just how many more would come.

Then again, the Patch Village was also kind of small in comparison to some other cities Hao had taken her to, especially Tokyo. It was probably the density that made it stifling. The shops were just as small, too, making most of them crowded.

_I guess coming during the dinner rush really wasn’t the best move if I wanted to eat in peace…_

Given the financial state the Patch were in, they wouldn’t turn down any customers. As such, Ivy had yet to find a place with very selective seating yet. There was no real safe haven, just a matter of luck and concentration to drown everyone else out. Knowing she had no choice to be picky, Ivy was about to just close her eyes and let pointing decide where her meal would be.

“Ivy-dono,” Mya’s voice called out. Ivy looked to her ghost. While the renewed promise to be partners had made Mya relax somewhat, she still insisted on speaking in formal terms. At least her use of “My Lady” had dropped drastically since then.

“What is it?” Ivy asked. “You in the mood for a certain offering?” In celebration of their new bond, Ivy had been trying to remember to give Mya offerings with most meals. It wasn’t necessary, and Mya didn’t insist on it either, but it was still a gesture that Ivy liked to think strengthened their relationship even more.

Hair and eyes blue and condensed into her spirit ball form, Mya shook her head. “No, it’s just that…”

Her gaze was enough. Ivy followed Mya’s line of sight. She had to push a bit through the crowd, but eventually she could tell which restaurant the ghost had been looking at. Or rather, the person inside.

Through the window she could see him. Light green hair oddly coordinating with his now pure white clothes. Bright green eyes the same. A cup of tea sat out before him, with a small fairy spirit resting on the back of his chair, right next to the boy’s shoulder.

 _Lyserg_.

Ivy almost hesitated. It was dangerous to talk to him now that he was an official member of the X-Laws. Even so, she wanted to talk to him. After all, he still had no idea who she worked for. They had talked about seeing each other again, too, and the moment was far better circumstances than Ivy had thought possible.

“Mya,” she said, “would you mind if I had dinner on my own tonight? I think I’d like to have some privacy.”

“Of course,” Mya said. Giving one last look to her mistress, she disappeared.

Ivy took one last deep breath and stepped into the café.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the guest for the kudos!


	20. Part Twenty: Dissonance

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty: Dissonance

* * *

Even once she was inside the café, Ivy ended up hesitating. As much as she wanted to, talking to Lyserg seemed like something she just shouldn’t do. It didn’t feel right anymore. She could tell just by the way he spoke when they had first met. While he desired vengeance against Hao, Ivy didn’t think Lyserg had ever gotten close to taking a human life before.

Unlike her.

_Because I really am a murderer, huh?_

Her hand was still holding the door open. She could just turn around, find somewhere else to eat. Sure, it would be a little lonely without Mya, but she could handle it. In fact, it was best if she went back to camp and ate with the others. At least they were all the same there.

“Ivy?”

The Chinese girl looked up at her name on instinct. Following the direction of the voice, she met eyes with Lyserg. He was still sitting at his table, but he had a smile on his face and was even waving her over. Hesitating any more would just attract extra attention from the café’s crowd. Trying to ignore what stares she was already getting, Ivy went to join Lyserg at his table.

“It really is you,” he said. “I almost didn’t recognize you with your hood up. Good thing I was right, otherwise this could have been awkward, huh?” Ivy nodded. This was already awkward enough for her. “Speaking of which, why do you have that thing up anyway?”

The honest answer was, _So no one recognizes me_ , but that had obviously failed. Trying to ease back her nerves, Ivy put on a smile. “Well, it’s been getting closer and closer to winter, so it’s been kind of chilly,” she lied. Trying to drag the subject away from herself, Ivy added, “You seem to be cozy in your new uniform, though.”

It was true. While he had traded his pants in for shorts, the jacket’s length was more than enough to retain heat. The white color didn’t do much for gaining temperature from the sunlight, but since the Patch Village was underground, Ivy guessed it didn’t really matter much.

Upon mention of his new look, Lyserg beamed. “I was accepted into the X-Laws,” he said, and Ivy could tell he was proud. It was the best next step for him to accomplish his goal after all. “Well, that’s kind of obvious. But everything’s been going well, so I’m not going to complain.”

“I take it that means they’ve put you into a team then?”

Lyserg nodded. “Marco and Lady Jeanne are both really incredible. I’m lucky.” Ivy had to repress a grimace at the mention of Marco’s name. And Jeanne, too, the X-Laws’ leader? This was becoming more troublesome. What if Lyserg mentioned her to them and Marco recognized her? “And how have things been going for you? Do you have a team yet?”

And it looked like the conversation was back in her territory. Lyserg was trying to be polite and not talk all about himself, but it was more of a hassle than anything.

“Yeah,” Ivy answered. “I was lucky and ran into an old acquaintance. She had someone with her and they needed a third member.” An extremely abridged and slightly altered version, but it would do. “So I’m all set up to go. We’ve been training, so you better watch out if we end up facing each other.”

_Because if we fight Hao-dono isn’t going to be so lenient as to let me not kill you._

Lyserg let out a small chuckle. “Well, I’ll have to extend the same warning to you, too. Lady Jeanne is incredibly powerful. She’s going to be the Shaman King, after all.”

Ivy had to bite her tongue to keep the retort back. She wanted to argue with all she had because _clearly_ the Shaman King was going to be Hao, but it would just blow her cover. Besides, Lyserg had said it so simply, like be believed it completely. There was no way to sway someone like that other than presenting them with results.

Lyserg would realize his mistake when the time came.

“So then you’ve given up on becoming Shaman King?” Ivy asked. She didn’t know why, but she realized it was bothering her. Lyserg hadn’t said as much, but Ivy was sure he had joined the Shaman Fight with the same end goal as everyone else. At the very least, it was foolish to enter the tournament without considering what could be the end result. “You’re not fighting for yourself anymore, but for her?”

Lyserg blinked, staring at Ivy, his already large eyes seeming even wider. She had managed to keep any malice out of her voice, but that was all. Some part of her seemed sad about the idea, watching people give up their dreams for the sake of others.

“I’m sorry about the delay,” said a Patch Officiant. Not expecting the sudden presence, Ivy looked to him. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and he was wearing business attire, including a strangely patterned tie. He was probably the Patch in charge of this café. While Ivy recognized him, she failed to remember his name. “Can I get you something, Miss?”

Ivy had completely ignored the menu card sitting on the table. She glanced to it but didn’t pick it up. “A cup of green tea,” she said, realizing she had been craving the taste. “And whatever the largest food item on your menu is.” She had been planning to eat dinner after all. Cafés tended to have smaller portions, so ordering something big shouldn’t have been an issue. Any spare room that had been in her elements pouch was now hosting money, so she was certain she could afford it, too.

“Of course,” the Patch man said. He turned to Lyserg. “And would you like a refill?”

“Um, yes, please,” the British boy answered. He still sounded a bit dazed.

“Then I’ll be back as soon as I can.” The Patch put his small notebook away and turned to head to the next table.

There was a silence. Ivy really should have kept her mouth shut. Still, she couldn’t take the words back now. It bothered her. It really bothered her. She understood Lyserg’s reasons, but at the same time, leaving him in the care of the X-Laws was just…

“I’m not giving up,” Lyserg finally said. His hands were resting on the sides of his teacup even though it was empty. “I don’t really think I was ever aiming to be the Shaman King. My goal was to defeat Hao. That didn’t exactly mean I needed to be Shaman King. I just needed to be able to face him, to take him down.” Ivy had to repress another uprising of anger. “Joining the X-Laws and fighting to make Lady Jeanne Shaman King is the best way for me to achieve that.”

Ivy could hear it. His resolve. Nothing was making him waver. Ivy glanced down to the table, wishing she had her own cup to take a drink from, or at least fiddle with.

“And what about you?” Lyserg asked, and Ivy looked up. “Your dream, then? Is that why you asked? Because you have a dream that’s important to you, right?”

Lyserg seemed earnest enough. His eyes seemed to be shining with curiosity. He wasn’t even annoyed at her questions. Ivy straightened up in her seat and smiled a bit.

“I guess I’m the same as you,” she said. “I’ve never really wanted to be the Shaman King. I came here because it was a way to achieve my goal.” _Because I would be able to face him without going back there._ Lyserg seemed surprised. Ivy let out a quiet laugh. “It’s more like, a means to an end, right? Because killing Ander is just one of my goals. When it comes to the others…I don’t think I need to be Shaman King to realize those.”

They were ridiculous things for participants in the Shaman Fight to be saying, both of their words. But that was how things were. Not everybody in the Shaman Fight needed to have the same end goal. For plenty of people, Ivy was sure their ambitions had to differ.

“So I guess I’m fighting for the dreams that my teammates have.” Ivy couldn’t say what those were, but there had to be things that Kaede and Issebella were aiming for, otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered to fight in the first place. “And beyond that, there’s something important I need to protect, that I can’t do unless I’m in the Shaman Fight.”

_Because his happiness is important to me._

It hit her in an instant. What were the things that the shamans had been fighting for? What had been Estella’s dream? She had killed them because it was for Hao, but she hadn’t considered their ambitions, their lives, anything. She had eliminated them without even trying to understand them. It had been like lighting a book on fire without reading it first.

She had told herself she was different, but what made her any different from the monster Ander was, from the monster Lyserg believed Hao to be?

“Lyserg,” she said, voice almost shaking, “I may have done something unforgivable.”

She had killed them all. She had probably killed Estella’s parents. They were all gone, their bodies ashes that could never be resurrected. Their lives were gone. She had decided they had no value at all. She had made that decision, even if it was on Hao’s orders.

Because if she had given mercy to Estella, she should have been capable of giving mercy to the rest of them.

The fact that she hadn’t only made her worse.

“And here we go,” the Patch Officiant said. The sound of dishes being set on the table brought Ivy back to her senses. Two teacups—one western, one eastern—and a plate with a sandwich on it now were on the table. Lyserg looked at Ivy with concern. The Patch folded his hands in front of him. “I’ll be back later to see if there’s anything else you need.”

Both teacups were steaming. It made Ivy realize she felt cold, and her appetite was gone. It would be a waste not to eat it, but for the moment she started with her tea, taking a much bigger drink than what was considered polite.

The liquid almost burnt her tongue.

She started to feel a bit better.

“I… wasn’t raised in the best situation,” she started. “I was trained how to fight and how to be powerful in the world, but not much else. During this time, I killed several people.” Ivy didn’t look at Lyserg. She didn’t want to see his expression. “I managed to escape. My parents tried to help me recover. They did everything they could, but eventually they were killed. I lost them, and, not knowing what else to do, I decided that I would one day kill Ander as revenge for my parents.”

She knew Lyserg would at least emphasize with her on the last part. But what had come before it? Ivy knew he couldn’t understand that. The people Hao had killed definitely were his parents. And judging by the brief glimpses she had seen of them, they had loved their son with everything they had. They were people who would never allow what had happened to Ivy happen to their son.

“But I still killed people after that. Not too many, and not constantly, but I have killed people. They always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught up in something they shouldn’t. They get themselves in danger, and I’ve needed to keep living. So when they put the people I care about or myself in danger I’ve killed them.

“But, recently… I had to kill a lot of people at once. I’ve never considered it before, but these people made me realize. They were a family. And I’ve been thinking…that all the people I’ve killed before had families, too. They were people, just like me. I’ve probably left people alone the same way I was left alone when Ander killed my parents. And I…I don’t know. I just… I’ve never actually considered the consequences of killing people before.”

Ivy sighed. Her voice was weak, but it wasn’t on the verge of crying. She picked up her teacup and took another drink. The liquid wasn’t as hot as it had been before, but her tongue still felt raw from the burns. Finally, she looked up to Lyserg, expecting to see hatred in his expression.

Instead, she saw worry.

“Don’t go giving me that look,” Ivy said. Seeing that sort of expression coming from an enemy was terrible. She raised a hand, pointing to Lyserg’s pure white ensemble. “Your wearing that uniform makes you an X-Law. That name stands for the Ten Commandments of Judeo-Christian religion. ‘Thou shall not kill.’ It’s right there in black and white. You shouldn’t feel any compassion for someone that’s murdered several people.”

Ivy didn’t know what she was trying to accomplish. Maybe getting Lyserg to hate her before he realized what was going on? Before he got hurt by her affiliation? Or maybe she wanted him to try and exact punishment, because Lyserg was supposed to be moral and right and he would know what to do when Ivy’s own inaccurate ethics failed?

“Is killing really that deep of a sin?” Lyserg said. Ivy had to make sure not to lose control of her arm. She subverted the lack of control by going to pick up her sandwich. “It’s not the act of killing that makes people sinners. It’s their intentions when doing it. For example, people who commit murder are to be executed. Does that mean the executioner should be killed as well?”

Ivy chewed on her sandwich slowly. It looked small at a glance, but from tasting it, there were several flavors crammed between the two slices of bread. It would fill her up nicely. She tried considering Lyserg’s words. Just what were sentiments like that supposed to do for her?

“I’m sorry,” Lyserg added, and Ivy blinked at his apology. She hadn’t been expecting it at all. “I’m still learning. So I can’t really help you out. If you want, I could ask Marco and Lady Jeanne for their guidance. They’re more likely to be able to help out with this sort of thing than I am.”

Ivy shook her head, trying not to make the motion too hasty. “That’s fine. I don’t really like relying on strangers for these sorts of things,” she said. That and, once again, it wasn’t like Marco wouldn’t shoot her on sight anyway. Yeah, the judgment the X-Laws would give her was far too obvious. “I would like to know what you think, though, Lyserg.”

And she did. Even if the boy said he wasn’t qualified, that was fine. Ivy wanted his honest opinion. Having someone like Jeanne would be too much, too far detached from the situation. She would give a predetermined answer. Someone like Lyserg would give more honest advice.

“I don’t know.” Lyserg gave an apologetic shrug. “I think, what I would do as you, I don’t think I would feel bad about it. Because doing terrible things is how you’ve been able to still stand here today. Sometimes, terrible actions are necessary. There’s no way for everyone in the world to come to a peaceful solution. No matter what, there will be conflict and people will get hurt.”

Ivy nodded. She had been taught that by listening to Hao. Human beings were naturally prone to terrible acts, whether or not they were shamans. Always, someone got hurt.

Lyserg stared contemplatively into his teacup. “Then again, I could be saying that to justify my own actions.” He took a drink, the cup now almost empty. “The path I’m on is one where hurting other people may be something I have to do. I don’t think I’m going to be able to avoid it.”

“So by telling me it’s okay, you’re making it okay for yourself, too?” Ivy asked.

“That’s essentially it.”

“Hmm…” Ivy thought it over. Really, people were entirely self-serving. So the moral of this conversation that it was better for her to accept her actions and decide what she wanted to do about them. She couldn’t change what she had done, couldn’t bring those people back. “I just need to focus on my future then,” she concluded.

Lyserg seemed impressed. “You decided that that quickly, huh?” he commented before looking at the wall behind Ivy’s head. She followed his line of sight, noticing the clock. “Well, I should be heading back soon. If I’m late, Marco will scold me.”

 _That’s a pretty tight leash,_ Ivy thought, but didn’t voice it. “You should get back then,” she said instead. The last thing she needed was Marco rampaging through the Patch Village. “Thanks for talking to me, though. It was nice.”

“Oh?” Lyserg blushed a little. “Well, I guess that’s good if I was any help.” He stood up and finished his cup of tea. “Good luck with your goal.”

“Yeah, good luck with yours, too.” They were half-hearted words, but Ivy made them sound convincing. Lyserg went to take care of his check, and Ivy fiddled with her teacup. In the end, his goal was to kill Hao.

_I really should stop fooling around like this._

Ivy looked out the window at the front entrance. The table wasn’t right next to it, but there weren’t enough customers to completely block her view. She had been hoping to get one last glimpse of Lyserg before he disappeared, but her heart stopped instead.

_Hao-dono._

The boy at the window turned to walk away, and Ivy realized she was wrong. His clothes were wrong, his hair too short, and there were a pair of headphones around his neck. Still, they looked incredibly alike, making the mistake reasonable.

After all, Asakura Yoh had been the one at the window.

“But what’s Yoh-dono doing here?” she muttered.

Ivy shook her head, instead focusing on her meal. As expected, the sandwich was enough to sate her returned appetite. In an unexpected twist for a Patch establishment, she was able to get a refill on her tea for free as well. Finally feeling content, despite where the evening’s conversation had gone, she stood up to leave, only to find that Lyserg had already covered her bill for her.

_Why is it that every time I talk to him, I end up feeling more confused?_

Feeling guilty for some reason, Ivy left a tip equivalent to the price of her meal sitting in mixed currency on the café’s table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the guest for the kudos!


	21. Part Twenty-One: Reconnaissance

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-One: Reconnaissance

* * *

A few days later found Ha-Gumi sitting around the campfire for a late lunch. While Kaede had yet to do much more than observe during training, Ivy had compromised by putting Issebella through her paces. Militaresco had gotten fed up enough to insist on training Issebella’s form through integration, while Ivy and Mya had expanded their repertoire of water-based attacks in the process.

She’d gotten so caught up in trying to distract her thoughts from her conversation with Lyserg that she hadn’t even realized it was time for a meal. The saving grace was that their late mealtime meant most of Hao’s followers had wandered off to their business, although Big Bill was napping in the open air while Tecolote plucked at his guitar several tents away.

Kaede poked her head up from leaning over the fire. “Seconds are ready,” she said, holding up a skewer. Today’s meal consisted of fresh caught lizards, which tasted much better than first glance would lead one to expect. “Ivy-san, do you want some?”

Knowing that she’d need the calories if they were going to continue training into the afternoon, Ivy nodded. “Thanks,” she said, receiving the skewer. She poked it back into the ground near Mya, letting that serve as the spirit’s portion of the meal.

Issebella looked on with a hurt expression. “Hey, you’re not offering me one? That’s not fair at all!”

Without even batting an eye, Kaede stared back with her usual blank expression. “That’s because you’ll take them all and Ivy-san won’t get any.”

“She hardly eats anything anyway! Come on, just at least three more. _Principessa’s_ gonna try to wreck me during the next round of training.”

“You mean she _is_ going to,” Militaresco said without any trace of remorse. He floated as a spirit ball next to Issebella, appearing as nothing more than a floating helmet reflecting the light of the Great Spirit in the distance. “Somehow you’ve managed to become even more sloppy than before.”

“That’s only ‘cause the both of you are slave drivers!” Issebella pouted, but her expression cracked into a grin as Kaede relented two of the fresh cooked lizards. Finishing off her own skewer, Ivy glanced to Mya for confirmation that the spirit had her fill of the offering. Once Mya nodded, Ivy plucked it up and settled into her second portion, the somewhat tough skin giving way to juices in her mouth. “You’re never happy with just going with the flow. And _Principessa_ here is too busy comparing me to some other person I haven’t even seen fighting! Can’t you be a little more reasonable.”

Ivy shrugged. “It’s not my fault that there are other people who would be able to take you down with some extra effort.” She wanted to say the same applied to Kaede, but barking up that tree was just more frustrating than helpful. Ivy felt confident in her own abilities, but she wouldn’t be enough to take down some three-man cells on her own. Even she had to hesitate against the idea of fighting someone like Jeanne or even Gandala’s Sati without proper backup. “If nothing else, you should be at least on the same par as someone like Ren-chan. You’ve had Over Soul training for far longer than he has, after all.”

“I’ve been wondering,” Kaede said, taking steady bites from her own lizard, “who is this Ren-chan you keep talking about? He seems like he’s someone important to you. At least, that’s what it sounds like when you mention him in training.”

Well, it seemed Kaede wasn’t entirely spacing out while Ivy and Issebella sparred. Ivy waved her lizard-free hand through the air in dismissal. “More like he’s my prey.” Somehow, Ivy got the impression of confusion on Kaede’s deadpan expression—or maybe that was the raised eyebrow Issebella had donned. "Come on, surely you guys so the last match of the round in Tokyo? Ren-chan was Yoh-dono’s last opponent.”

Kaede’s eyes flicked to Issebella. “We only just barely arrived at the ceremony, thanks to someone.” Issebella muffled her awkward chuckle by taking a rather large bite of lizard, which she proceeded to choke on.

Ivy sighed. _Why am I not surprised in the least?_ “Ren-chan was my first opponent in the preliminary rounds.” Among other things she wasn’t in the mood to discuss. Finished with her meal, Ivy placed her skewers in a neat pile and then leaned back to stare at the Great Spirit in the distance. “Of course, I beat him. But he’s got decent potential. I’m looking forward to seeing him grow.” She had the feeling he could give her a real fight one of these days.

“Aw, come on, I have potential, too!” Issebella said, her voice almost tapering off into a whine. “I won my preliminary matches with a perfect record.”

“I’d say that was due to a lack of quality in your opponents,” Militaresco said.

“Wanna say that again?!”

“I’m saying that you won’t have the opportunity to be up against such weaklings in the next round, you foolish girl!”

Sitting in perfect seiza form, Kaede ignored the bickering match that broke out between them. “I don’t think I’ve seen you look so excited before, Ivy-san.”

Ivy blinked. “Huh?” she asked, even as Mya nodded beside her. “What’s that supposed mean?”

Having batted away her spirit ally for the time being, Issebella bounced back with a grin spreading across her face. “Oooh, yeah, _Principessa_ has that look in her eyes.” She leapt to her feet, her hair flying in a blur of blond and brown. “I know, let’s go meet this guy! If you’re interested in him, then I wanna see.”

Ivy narrowed her gaze. “Do you really think I’ll let you skip training over something as inconsequential as that?”

Issebella tossed her hands into the air, muttering several sentences in Italian that was just quiet enough for Ivy not to make out. That was likely for the best. “Look, you’re the one who keeps comparing me to him. How am I supposed to know what I’m aiming for if I can’t even see the standard? It’ll be recoi—reken—”

“Reconnaissance,” Kaede offered.

“Yeah that!” Issebella said with a click of her fingers. Then she turned her best pleading expression on Ivy, even though it had never worked before in the past. “Just for a little bit, I promise. Then you can go back to beating me up in practice however much you want. I promise I won’t complain!”

Militaresco snorted. “Are you telling me you intend to do nothing but lose from here on out?”

Feeling the forming migraine at the front of her skull, Ivy dipped into her leaves to alleviate the situation. Beside her, Mya smiled, her blue eyes as bright as ever. “If I may, Ivy-dono, it’s been some time since you’ve seen him. It might be nice to see how the boy’s progressed, especially if you’re interested in him as an opponent.”

She had a point; though some others in Hao’s group had encountered Yoh’s entourage upon arriving in the Patch Village, the last time Ivy had seen Ren had been when they were falling from the Patch Over Soul jet. The journey to the Patch Village not only tested potential affinity with the Great Spirit, but also one’s strength of will. She could only imagine how Ren’s experiences had shaped him since then, let alone since his battle with Yoh.

Across the fire, Kaede looked on with the faintest light of interest in her pale green eyes. _Well, I guess I don’t have any choice then._

Giving one last mental thanks for the meal, Ivy stood. “Alright, we’ll go,” she said with a faint smile, and Issebella threw up her arms in celebration, “but I’ll enjoy your offer to become a training dummy when we’re done, Issebella.”

Issebella’s cheer cut off in a strangled noise in her throat. Ivy and Kaede both ignored their teammates coughing fit as they extinguished the fire and set off.

* * *

Finding Ren was rather simple, even in the increasingly crowded Patch Village; between his mana signal and a quick divination via the Earth and Mya, Team Ha-Gumi found him training in an outlying area of the Village not unlike Hao’s campsite. Amongst the expanse of ruddy rocks and occasional swipe of moss stood Ren, arms crossed as he barked out orders to his teammates, who were sparring a bit away.

“Hm, is Ren-chan the grumpy, spiky one?” Issebella asked, scanning the area with a curious expression. Kaede remained silent, but her expression seemed no less attentive. “I can see why you’re interested in him. He’s a lot like you, _Principessa._ ”

Ivy tried to keep the scowl off her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, y’know, _Principessa_ , you’re a bit—oh, crap, is that who I think it is?” Not even offering a further explanation, Issebella leapt down from the rock structure Ha-Gumi had assembled on, charging right past Ren and to the mock battle his teammates were in. Her words switched to a rapid fire and hyper steam of Italian that faded with the growing distance. “ _Ciao!_ ”

Ivy increased the calming output from her leaves but still pressed a hand to her forehead. “What is that idiot doing?”

“Making a fool of herself, I presume,” Kaede said. And then, without missing a beat, both girls jumped back, avoiding the glowing presence of an Over Soul as it swiped in front of them. The familiar overbearing pulse of Ren’s mana met Ivy’s senses, and she smiled, cupping her hands around her mouth.

“I see you haven’t broken that habit of flinging your weapon at anyone that upsets you, Ren-chan!” Ivy said. Not even bothering to check if Kaede would follow, Ivy hopped down to Ren’s level, crossing the remaining distance between them in quick strides. Ren released his Over Soul, but he didn’t lower his weapon. Ivy didn’t even bother to tap into her elements, even though she could sense how much he’d grown since their last standoff. “Goodness, I thought you would have learned something since Hao-dono showed you up at Yokohama.”

Ren scoffed, his eyes narrowed into thin slits. “And I think you would have learned some tact. Anyone who tries to see what their enemies are preparing should expect some form of retaliation.” Ivy shrugged, not letting the words get to her. Unlike Lyserg, Ren was someone she regarded as prey. Him seeing her as an enemy would only spur him on to become stronger. With reluctance, he tore his gaze away from Ivy to instead look at the interrupted battle, where Issebella’s ever louder Italian was audible. “I assume that fool is your teammate. What in the world is she going on about?”

Issebella had latched onto the blue haired boy who’d tried to pick a fight with Hao after the Patch jet had collapsed. Ivy didn’t recognize the other person with them, a dark skinned boy with a full afro of hair. Both boys had dropped their Over Souls, a small koropokkur and the spirit of a cheetah hovering near their shamans. Horohoro looked bewildered as Issebella clasped his hands.

“ _—and that we met each other again has to be some kind of fate! I knew that destiny would bring us together again. Oh, I know, handsome, let’s go out for dinner sometime, I can front the bill, no worries. Y’know, your eyes are prettier than I remember—”_

It had been some time since Ivy had regretted learning Italian so much, but boy did she feel it now. It seemed that the years had only made Issebella more of a flirt. “You don’t want to know,” she said, once again suppressing a sigh. “How in the world does she even know that kid anyway?”

“They met in Tokyo, I believe,” Kaede said from behind her. Ren’s eyes flicked to the newcomer, but Kaede’s lack of malice (or any emotion for that matter) seemed to be enough for him to not deem her a threat. That didn’t erase the terseness in his muscles, though. “At least, he matches a description she told me about. She wouldn’t stop talking about how it was tragic they couldn’t understand each other.”

“What nonsense,” Ivy and Ren said at the same time. Scoffing, Ivy sent a quick command to the earth, sending Issebella toppling to the ground. “Honestly, you’re the one who said this would be reconnaissance, Issebella,” she shouted across the short distance between them. “We didn’t come here so you could be a flirt!”

Issebella groaned, wiping desert dust from her dress as she stood. “You’re so mean, _Principessa_ ,” she said, slipping back into English. Ivy crossed her arms, not having any of it. “I can’t believe you’d ruin a fated reunion like this. You have no sense of romance at all!”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Horohoro said, failing his now freed hands through the air. “You can speak English?!”

Distracted once again, Issebella turned back to Horohoro. “Well, yeah, it’d be silly to prepare for the Shaman Fight and not at least learn it.” She then paused, staring at the boy until something seemed to connect in her brain. “Wait, _you_ can speak English?!”

“Clearly!”

Issebella clutched her chest in mock distress. “Then we’ve been missing out on talking this whole time? I thought I’d never get a chance to have you understand my pickup lines. I’ll have to start from the beginning. A do over!”

Having recovered some semblance of his sense of mind, the third boy on the scene cupped his hand to his chin in thought. “Well, I guess you could say things got _lost in translation_ ,” he said, then started laughing at his own joke. Issebella, in true fashion, started laughing along. It took much more of Ivy’s willpower than she liked to keep the grimace from her face.

_No more nonsense. We’re not going to do a damn thing but train when this is over._

If the way Ren’s eye seemed to twitch was any indication, he was having similar thoughts. A moment of eye contact later and the two shamans decided that they’d refrain from criticizing the other’s choice in teammates.

“I know, you gotta meet the _Principessa_! And Kaede!” Issebella snatched Horohoro’s arm, a grin stretched over her face. I mean, she already knows Ren-chan here—” Horohoro couldn’t contain his splutter of laughter “—but we should all introduce ourselves. Oh, you can come, too, afro guy!”

Jogging alongside Issebella dragging his teammate through the dust as if nothing was wrong, the other boy flashed a thumbs up. “The name’s Joco McDonnel!”

“Issebella Vargas!”

“I’m so glad that we didn’t get off to a _rocky_ start.” Ivy wondered if it would be possible to open a hole in the ground and smother herself. Before she could even think about it further, the trio had assembled in front of where Ivy, Ren, and Kaede all stood. “Ren, you didn’t say anything about these girls.”

Ren’s expression managed to look stoic and annoyed all at once. “That’s because I only knew about one of them, you fools. The others are new additions.”

Catching some semblance of his breath, Horohoro lost it the moment he laid eyes on Ivy. “Hey, you’re one of the people that was with Hao!” he said, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Considering Ivy had already shown her hand to Ren, there wasn’t much point in trying to deny it. She tucked back a stray lock of her hair. “Glad to see that your memory isn’t so shoddy that you forgot that so easily,” she said. Though her training with Mya and water made the presence of ice clinging to Horohoro’s mana obvious, it wasn’t enough to cause any concern. He was still a fledgling, all things considered. “But to clear the air, I’m Issebella’s team captain. Ivy is fine.” No need to spread that embarrassing nickname any further than Issebella’s mouth.

“Kiha Kaede,” the last of Ha-Gumi said, completing the cycle of introductions. She even dipped her head in a short bow.

Joco nodded, clapping his hands together. “Let’s see, between the two of you, you’re gonna _leaf_ Issebella here behind,” he said, producing the object in question between his fingers. Ivy didn’t get any elemental response out of it, so she assumed it was some rubber prop. _Some_ Japanese seemed to have made it to Issebella’s memory, as she resumed a fresh round of laughter at the pun.

Kaede tilted her head. “Isn’t that kind of a stretch?”

“Of course, I gotta stay limber!”

“More like bending over backwards.”

“Hah, you’re the perfect straight man!” Joco said. Kaede was too busy muttering “ _Tsukkomi_?” under her breath to object as Joco patted her shoulder. “You know what, you guys are alright.”

Horohoro waved his arm, pointing back to Ivy. “Hello?” he said, agitation spiking up the volume of his voice. “Are just gonna forget the fact that she’s one of Hao’s people? That’s kind of a big deal!”

Oblivious, Issebella shrugged. “Yeah, but Kaede and I are, too. That’s why we’re a team with _Principessa_.” Words stuck in Horohoro’s throat, especially when Issebella put on her best pout. “Aw, Horo, don’t tell me you don’t like me anymore. You and I have something really special, you know!”

Unlike Ivy, Horohoro had no immunity whatsoever. “Well, I didn’t—”

“ _Enough!_ ” Ren’s harsh shout overpowered everyone else’s voices, echoing out into the distance of the cavern. Ivy relished both the temporary peace and quiet, as well as the way losing his temper twisted Ren’s expression. Deciding that their collective teammates weren’t worth the effort anymore, he turned on Ivy. “If you just came here to distract me, then you’re seriously underestimating me if you think this sham of a tactic will work.”

Flicking a lock of hair out of her face, Ivy smirked. “Aw, don’t be like that Ren-chan,” she said, watching his tongari spike up in irritation at the honorific. “Let’s be honest here: you wouldn’t be worth it if this distracted you. I just wanted to make sure that things were going okay for you. After all—” Not forming an Over Soul, Ivy let her mana saturate the air around them. “You need work if you’re going to be a worthy challenge.”

“Is that so? I seem to recall landing a blow you didn’t expect in the preliminary rounds.” Though Ivy had healed the wound so that it didn’t leave a scar, on occasion she still could remember the sharp bite of his refined Over Soul. Ren donned a cocky expression of his own, though it wasn’t as harsh as it had been back then, nor was his own pressure of mana. “I’m still standing here. And I haven’t backed down on what I said back then, especially if your planning on picking a fight with me:

“ _Your opponent is the one who will become the Shaman King._ ”

Before the words would have done nothing but agitate her; they had when Lyserg had declared Jeanne as the tournament’s winner. But in that moment, all Ren’s declaration made her want to do was grin. _I didn’t choose wrong, after all._

Without hesitation, Ivy stepped closer, making sure that she took advantage of the gap in their heights to look down on him. Ren jutted up his chin in response, not once breaking eye contact. “That’s a good look in your eyes,” she said, “but you don’t stand a chance against Hao-dono if you can’t do more than land one blow on me.”

Ren scoffed. “Care to see if you can hold up those words?”

“Oh, don’t be silly.” Before Ren could even think about reforming his Over Soul, Ivy took a few steps backwards, keeping tabs on the Shamanic Oracle just in case. “I’d much rather wait until I’m certain I won’t just knock you out again.”

“What was that?!” Ivy spun around on her heel, not even paying attention to keep an eye on Ren. She didn’t have to. “You haven’t grown out of that habit of dismissing others, I see. I’ll show you what happens when you underestimate me!”

Ivy’s heart clenched, but she forced herself to keep walking. It was a good thing she’d turned her back, or he would have seen the grimace on her face. “Issebella, Kaede, we’re done here,” she said, voice managing to come out even. It was all she could do to keep the rush of memories swelling up inside her. He had remembered, it seemed, but—

_No, Ren-chan is different than he was back then. And no matter what he says, so am I._

“Oh, and Ren-chan,” she said as Issebella and Kaede caught up with her, the Italian spouting off farewells to Horohoro and Joco, “I’m not underestimating you at all. I just know that what’s worth it is all in your potential.” She tossed up a hand in a dismissive wave, ignoring the scrutinizing look Kaede was giving her. “So do me a favor, will ya?

“ _Don’t disappoint me_.”


	22. Part Twenty-Two: Roadblock

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Two: Roadblock

* * *

“Ivy-dono, you’ve been practicing your forms for some time. You should switch tactics so that you can get in all your rounded training today and still have time to rest.”

Ivy took in a slow even breath and paused after completing her kung fu form. Though there wasn’t any way to accurately tell time based on the sunlight while staying underground in the Patch Village, but she’d been working since early in the morning. When she checked her Oracle Pager, it was about time to meet back up with Issebella. Mya floated nearby, her hands tucked into her sleeves and her hair was still an azure blue.

Ivy gave her partner a small smile. “Thank you, Mya. Let’s get going.” It only took a few tweaks into the elements to clear away the sweat from her brow, and Ivy stretched her arms as she headed closer to the camp. It didn’t take long to see Issebella’s familiar form swinging her sword about, along with Kaede perched nearby.

“Hey, hey, _Principessa_!” Issebella swapped her sword to her off hand to wave. “I know it’s, like, team training time but I still have some things I gotta work on. Can I have a bit longer? Super please?”

Before Issebella could get the bright idea to start begging, Ivy waved her off. “Yeah, yeah. I’m not gonna complain if you’re motivated for once.” While seeing Ren again had done enough to boost Ivy’s focus, it seemed that Issebella was just as fired up for whatever reason. “We’ll spar when your done. Try to last for longer than five minutes this time.”

Issebella screwed up her face. “Just cause you’re the _principessa_ and I’m the _cavaliere_ doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to kick your ass, you know!”

Ivy didn’t bother to deign that with a response and turned on to Kaede instead. _Now the trick is to get this one to be more motivated…_

“Can I help you?”

Sometimes Kaede’s voice was so quiet that Ivy would have missed it if she wasn’t paying attention. As things were, she’d been so busy staring that she managed to see Kaede’s lips move. _Well, if she’s going to just give me an in like that…_ “If I do too much by myself, I’ll end up getting rusty. I definitely wouldn’t say no to a sparring partner.”

The response was, unfortunately, was as expected: “I don’t want to.”

Ivy propped her hand on her hip. “At the risk of sounding like a broken record, why the hell not?” Kaede just stared on, her pale green eyes unblinking. “You always just sit there and watch. And while observation is just fine and good and you’ve made it this far, you won’t be able to sit on that when push comes to shove. Hao-dono needs us to be able to fight his enemies— _all_ of us.”

“I can fight. You don’t need to worry.”

“I’m going to worry if you can’t show me that. I’m not about to let a liability run around and cause trouble.”

Kaede’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want you to be in pain.”

A flash of some form of anger flared up inside Ivy, too muddled to identify. “Pain is _inevitable_. I don’t know if you’ve realized that.” She stepped closer. “You’re not saving me any trouble by refusing to practice. I doubt you can hurt me in a way that I haven’t already experienced.” Once you went through that, physical pain stopped mattering. Ivy tapped into the elements, letting the blaze of emotion in her stoke the same reaction in her mana. Issebella glanced in their direction, even as Militaresco griped at her. “We’re supposed to be allies here, Kaede. Don’t make me treat you like an enemy.”

“Oi, oi, _Principessa_ , you don’t want to do that!”

“Stay out of it, Issebella!” Ivy stepped closer to Kaede, feeling the elements responding to her emotions. “Look, I can tolerate a lot because Hao-dono asked me to, but you can’t keep this up. I won’t tolerate you being a liability.” The metal in her pouch sang to life, forming a blade at the beck and call of Ivy’s slightest gesture. “Do me a favor and prove that you’re not.”

Kaede’s poker face didn’t waver. “I’d stop if I were you, Ivy-san.”

Ivy clicked her tongue. “Go ahead and make me.”

She’d barely shifted her stance forward before she lost her footing altogether. The only thing she could see was the ceiling of the cave far above her, along with the glow of the Great Spirit. The pain kicked in a second later—a blunt pain that started in her stomach and stuck with her, even as she crashed into the ground, several meters away. She hadn’t seen the movement of what hit her before, but, craning her neck towards Kaede, she could see it now.

The girl hadn’t stood up, still seated on the rock. She had turned around, though, patting at the leg of a large spirit standing above her. It had the shape of a deer, its tan fur speckled with darker brown throughout. Its antlers stretched out for several meters, with the traces of leaves sprouting from the points. She’d never seen anything like it before—nor had she felt such a crushing presence before.

She’d felt pure, unfiltered malice before in her life. When she’d faced down Ren for the first time, she’d almost laughed. That feeling had been nothing compared to the way that Ander had stared her down all those years ago. Ren was a slightly annoyed toddler in comparison to that. But what she was seeing now, this spirit—

_It could swallow me whole,_ Ivy thought, dropping her head back to the dirt. _No, it could kill me, and I wouldn’t even see it coming._

The thought was sobering and infuriating all at once. She could hear Mya and Issebella’s concerned shouts, but, even with the pain, Ivy could tell she wouldn’t need to stitch her insides back together. A few moments later, spirit and Italian alike had come to fuss over Ivy, their long hair swinging below their faces. Kaede arrived shortly after and wasted no time dipping her head in apology.

“Sorry,” she said, executing another of her flawless ninety degree bows. “Fia doesn’t like it whenever someone tries to hurt me.”

Ivy threw an arm over her eyes, not even wanting to start dissecting that sentence. Mya’s call over the elements started to push at Ivy with a call to heal, even as nature itself reached out to her. “Ivy-dono—”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, brushing everything off. She pulled herself up, resisting the urge to prod at her stomach as it continued to sting. Issebella offered a hand, but Ivy didn’t take it. “Just forget it.”

“Aw, come on, _Principessa_ —”

“I didn’t _ask_ , Issebella.” Ivy didn’t bother to look back as she pushed herself up. It had been some time since she’d had to force herself to walk steady, but she still remembered how to pull it off. “Do whatever training you need to do. Don’t slack off.” Not knowing where she was going, Ivy kept stepping forward—stepping away from the animosity she could still feel behind her.

_That spirit was no joke. Kaede didn’t even form an Over Soul. But she’s not just relying on it. If she could handle that thing as her Guardian Ghost, then she must be strong._ She didn’t even register the sting as she clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. _Whatever. Doesn’t matter how she can handle it._

_The fact that I couldn’t stop it just means I’m weak._

* * *

“Something troubling you, Aviantei?”

Before Ivy could think about just what she was doing, she’d already wound up in the shade of Hao’s usual haunt amongst the dilapidated Patch buildings. Hao himself sat not too far away, his amber eyes almost twinkling with amusement. Ivy huffed and dropped into a cross-legged sit on the floor, using a fist to prop up her chin. She almost spat that she didn’t want to talk about it, but she felt enough like a sulking child already.

“Kaede,” she said, almost grumbling. Hao’s chuckle didn’t make her feel any better.

“Ah, yes, Kaede.” Amusing herself to the side, Opacho popped up her head in curiosity and rushed over to Hao. He patted the small girl’s afro. “If I’m not mistaken you had a run-in with that spirit ally of hers. I take it you didn’t have the best first impression?”

Ivy stared at the wall, following the patterns of cracks and traces of dark moss. Anything was better than making eye contact with her master. “Hao-dono, have I been improving at all?”

“Oh, goodness, there you go again.” The words didn’t do any good, and Ivy bristled despite herself. She scowled but regained her composure once she saw Opacho’s worried expression. Hao didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest. “You’re always going and worrying that you’re not good enough is all I mean, Aviantei. Is what happened really making you question yourself that much again?”

“In all respect, Hao-dono, you weren’t there.” No matter how much Hao complimented her, it always felt like he was trying to appease her—even if the pride in his voice sounded real. Ivy straightened up her back, even as she kept her eyes lowered. “I didn’t even _see_ it. I was just…down. And it was—” Before the words could spill out, she snapped her mouth shut.

_If you’re thinking like that again, you really have become weak._

“There’s nothing wrong with fearing an opponent that surprises you.” Ivy wanted to deny it, but it seemed hopeless. Opacho nodded, and Hao smiled as he spoke. “You value your life, because there are things you want to do with it. Even with a safety net of revival, no one would blame you for what your feeling.”

“ _I_ blame myself for what I’m feeling.” Ivy punched the ground, feeling the pulse of the earth beneath her. “We could be facing anyone when it comes to the next round of the Shaman Fight—in the official tournament and outside of it. Kaede is not the only person that has such a powerful spirit ally on her side. If I freeze up like that again, I could fail you when it’s most important.” And, if by some chance, Ander had gotten much stronger—

“I have every faith that you won’t fail me, Aviantei.”

“But how can you know that?! I’m—!!”

There was a tug at her sleeve, and Ivy looked into Opacho’s wide eyes. “Aviantei-onee-chan,” she said, reaching out her small fingers to wrap around Ivy’s own. “Aviantei-onee-chan strong. Opacho can see it.” Something in Ivy’s heart clenched, and she gritted her teeth against the unfamiliar emotion. “You can win.”

Ivy sucked in a breath, trying to steady herself from Opacho’s earnest expression. Ivy couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt such an unrestricted emotion. “I just don’t want to take the chance that the only reason I can win in the future is because I needed to do something now. If I fail to put in the work now, what will that mean for the future you see?”

“And do you honestly think that with everything you do that you can possibly fail so easily?” Hao shook his head, his earrings flashing silver underneath his dark locks of hair. “Well, I know you well enough by now to understand that talking like this won’t convince you. So then what would you like to do about it, Aviantei?”

For the first time since she’d stormed away from her teammates, Ivy calmed herself down enough to think. She shut her eyes, taking the metered breaths of meditation, trying to bring her thoughts together. Her goal after arriving at the Patch Village had been to refine herself further, along with making sure her teammates were up to par. But if she still had weaknesses, she needed to nip them now, with the month they had left. Sparring and personal practice weren’t going to cut it. She needed something more intense, something that could bring the results she wanted with enough time to spare.

“Hao-dono,” Ivy said, giving Opacho’s hands an appreciative squeeze, “I’d like to undergo hell training one more time.”

* * *

In some ways, maybe Hao was a bit too accommodating to Aviantei’s whims.

Hell training wasn’t anything mysterious to Hao’s followers; they’d all gone through it several times over. After all, one’s mana level couldn’t increase without sacrifice. With the cap on improvement, one’s soul needed to go through intense circumstances to grow. Death—or something incredibly close to it—was the only way. And with more than enough mana capacity to revive the dead, shuffling off his various followers into the afterlife to increase their power levels was the logical conclusion. The results had spoken for themselves. Hao’s own massive mana count was thanks to his ongoing reincarnations throughout the centuries.

How much Aviantei really _needed_ such a thing was questionable, but that wasn’t the point.

“Well, I won’t waste my time letting you know what you’re getting into. You’re more than enough informed,” Hao said, clapping his hands together. He’d given Aviantei a bit of time to gather herself, and she’d come back with Issebella in tow. Hao glanced over both of them, Aviantei not even showing any signs of irritation from her enthusiastic teammate’s presence. “I will say I wasn’t expecting you to bring back company, Aviantei. Are you planning on a group field trip?”

“Nothing like that, _Dio_!” Issebella saluted before propping her hands on her hips. “If _Principessa_ gets stronger, I won’t be doing much good if I can’t keep up. So of course I wanna throw down on some extra practice!”

“Well, I have no objections on that front.” Issebella’s own levels were respectable, but a solid boost would do. Aviantei was doing her best to keep her mind blank, so Hao couldn’t quite tell how she felt about the situation. “If it’s just you two going, then, we should be ready to get started.”

“I’d like to come, too.”

Hao had sensed Kaede’s mind beforehand, so he wasn’t surprised that she was waiting in the wings. Issebella immediately waved their other teammate over, and Aviantei looked up in faint surprise. “You do realize that you’re not just going to be sit on the sidelines this time, right?” she asked Kaede, not having as much venom in her voice as before, even with her choice of words. “Once you die, you’ll need to work to get back on your own merit. We won’t be able to carry you.”

“I understand that.” Kaede folded her hands in front of her, the faintest ripples across the otherwise placid surface of her mind. “Ivy-san, you and Issebella have gone through much more than I have to gain the powers that you have. I thought about it, and…I want to be able to fight for something the way you two do.”

Even without reading her mind, it was easy to see the surge of emotions flashing through Aviantei’s eyes. Hao let her gather her thoughts without interfering. Aviantei opened her mouth a few times before she could find the right words. “I don’t get you at all,” she said, looking Kaede right in the eyes, “and I don’t like you either.” Issebella grimaced, and Aviantei stepped forward. “But if you’re at least going to put in the effort, I won’t say no. What you want to do to get stronger is up to you, so long as you don’t get in Hao-dono’s way.”

“Oi, _Principessa_ ,” Issebella hissed, trying to nudge her way into the conversation, “I get that’s like a compliment for you, but don’t you think that you could word that a bit different?”

“It’s because I don’t want to get in anyone’s way that I’m doing this,” Kaede said. “I want to be part of the team. So thank you for having me.”

And before she dipped into a bow, Kaede’s lips curled up ever slightly into a smile.

Issebella let out a high pitched sound that transitioned into a loud shout. “A smile! Kaede smiled, did you see that _Principessa_?!” Issebella grabbed onto Aviantei’s shoulders, shaking her before launching towards Kaede in a flying hug, pressing the smaller girl into her chest. “You look so _bellissima_ when you smile. _Hyaku egao!_ ”

“It doesn’t count if you’re not the one to make me smile, Issebella…”

“I don’t care!”

Hao chuckled, and Aviantei’s mind snapped to attention first. “You’ve certainly formed some interesting bonds, Aviantei.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, glancing at Issebella easily lifting Kaede off the ground to spin in a circle. “You’d call this nonsense ‘bonds’?”

“I certainly would.” Even if she didn’t fully realize it, Hao could tell that Aviantei had started to regard her teammates as a bit more than a nuisance—and they trusted her as well. Whether she recognized it or not was a different matter. “If they become stronger bonds is going to be up to you.”

“That’s not what I had in mind when I said I was going to become stronger, Hao-dono.”

“I’m well aware.” Hao raised his voice and faced the others, even as Aviantei tried to decipher his words. “Now, now, everyone, I want to give you as much time as possible. I have no doubts that you’ll come back, but I think I’ll leave any sorts of motivational words to your team leader.”

“Wh-what? Hao-dono!”

Issebella dragged Kaede over and set the smaller girl back on her feet, reverted back to her deadpan expression. “Give us a speech, _Principessa_!”

Aviantei scratched her head, then let out a sigh of resignation. “Okay, yeah, sure,” she said, turning back to her teammates. “What we’re about to do is not a race. It’s about the quality of the time you spend. Do everything you can to focus on overcoming the challenges in front of you. And when we come back, we’ll all be stronger. That’s all there is to it.”

It was an awkward delivery at best, but Issebella grinned, and the determination between the three of them was plenty obvious, almost resonating off each other. With that said, there wasn’t anything left to do but send them off. Aviantei dipped into the elements to put them to sleep, and Hao took over the rest for when they returned.


	23. Part Twenty-Three: Recollection

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Three: Recollection

* * *

“Starting today you two will begin your lessons in Japanese.”

The lessons room was rather large, and it far outstripped the needs of the people who were using it. There were only two children, both in the single digits of age. Their teacher, a woman with her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, stood at the front of the room. She dressed in purple and gold, just like the students in front of her, though her robes were much more elaborate. The older boy was the first to raise his hand.

“Are we learning Japanese to help with the Shaman Fight?” he asked. Beside him, the younger girl kept a calm poker face, though the same question burned in her brown eyes. The occupied the only two desks in the entre vast space but sat directly in front of the board. “It does take place in Tokyo, after all.”

“Yes, in part,” their teacher said, keeping her tone as business-like as before. She began to pace across the front of the room, hands tucked in her sleeves as she went. “As you know, your lessons in English have been to assist with the places you’ll go for the Shaman Fight. Even without Japanese, you’d be able to manage. We, however, are planning on taking another trip far sooner than that.”

Next, it was the girl who raised her small hand. “We’re going to Japan before the preliminaries?”

“Correct.” Almost approaching the wall on the far side of the room, their teacher stopped walking and turned back to face the waiting students. “As you both know, the number of shaman families in this world has declined. While restoring our place in society may be part of our goal in the Shaman Fight, we also need to consider bloodline. As such, we’ve made contact with some other prominent families in hopes of finding suitable partners.”

The girl kept quiet, not knowing what to expect. In that place, there were no fairy tales or romance stories to read, only information relevant to the children’s studies. As such, she had no concept of anything like finding happiness in marriage. The boy, on the other hand, grimaced—though he straightened out his expression once their teacher glimpsed at him.

“Did you have something you wanted to say, Ander?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.

“No, Teacher.”

As much as she wanted to look at him to try and figure out what he was thinking, the girl kept her eyes straight forward on her teacher. The woman nodded once, then continued to pace across the floor. “Good. You two have many important duties to fulfill, and carrying on the Shamanic bloodline is one of them. In days past, we had such arrangements with the Ra family, but we no longer have those sorts of liberties. We’ll be visiting many other families in the coming time as well. Once your Japanese is to par, we’ll take a visit to Japan and see if we can arrange anything suitable. You’re expected to be ready by next year, is that clear?”

Both children nodded and spoke in unison: “ _Yes, Teacher!_ ”

“Very good. Now, to begin—” The woman paused, looking at the young girl who had raised her hand once more. “Did you have something else you wanted to ask, Ivy?”

The girl nodded, her hand still raised in the air. “I’m sorry for interrupting teacher. I just wanted to know the name of this family we’ll be visiting next year.”

The teacher shook her head but turned around with a faint smile forming on her lips.

“ _Asakura._ ”

* * *

“What? You figured out your elemental name already?!”

Ivy leaned over at the boy, her eyes wide in shock. They were in one of the practice rooms, waiting for their next lesson to start. Ander drew himself up to his full height, hands propped on his hips. Considering that he barely reached a meter in height, it wasn’t that impressive, but, to Ivy, the smug expression on his face seemed cool.

“That’s right,” he said with a grin. “I was meditating this morning, and I heard them calling out to me, loud and clear. It was like I heard it, then everything clicked. That means that they trust me enough to be their master, you know.”

Ivy nodded, conflicting feelings brewing inside of her—ones she didn’t know how to describe. So far, Ander had been ahead of her at everything. It made sense since he was older than her, but she didn’t like to admit it, either. They took all the same lessons; why was she so behind? “What is it, then? Do you have a cool name like Teacher and Master do?”

Ander poked Ivy in the forehead. “Of course, it’s cool. It’s my name, you know!”

“Then what is it?”

“Hm…” Ivy stared Ander down in anticipation, but he just shrugged. “Don’t you want to figure it out yourself?”

“Huh?” Realizing that Ander was pretty much refusing to tell her, Ivy screwed up her face. “If you’re not gonna tell me, doesn’t that mean that you’re lying? You could’ve made it up!”

“What did you just say?” Ander leaned over Ivy, scowling. He pressed a hand to his chest. “You’re just jealous because you’re not good enough yet. It took me a couple of years to figure out my elemental name once I started training. You’ll just have to wait your turn!”

Not intimidated by the difference in their heights, Ivy stood up and pushed herself into Ander’s face, even though she had to stand on her tiptoes to do it. “I am too good enough!”

“Oh yeah? Is that why you haven’t been able to figure out your own name yet? You can’t even string two words together.”

“At least I can speak English better than you can!”

“I was under the impression that you two knew your place much better than that.”

Both Ivy and Ander froze at the sound of the deep voice—not just out of fear, but because they couldn’t move on their own. The very water in their bodies had been turned against them, and even trying to fight it would send waves of pain throughout every fiber of their being. As best as they could, Ivy and Ander used their peripheral vision to look at the entrance to the training hall.

Standing there was a man almost as tall as the doorway. He had enough muscle to be visible even underneath his purple and gold robes, but not enough to make him seem excessively bulky. He wore his black hair closely trimmed to his head, and a frown sat on his square jawline. His form cast a dark shadow along the polished wooden floor.

“Need I remind you two who you are?” the man asked, his tone terrifyingly even. His steps were silent as he glided across the floor. Ivy and Ander attempted to say _No, Master_ , but their jaws remained frozen in place. “You both have a very important job to do. _That_ is why you are here, and _that_ is why you’ve received the training that you have. I was under the impression that you both know better than to waste your time on childish squabbles.”

Numerous apologies raced through the children’s minds, but none would be satisfactory enough, even if they could speak. The man strode past them to his position at the front of the room, an elaborate mural of the mountains behind him. Against their will, Ivy and Ander shifted to face their Master, a burning sensation igniting in their joints. It was no small task to turn an element loyal to another onmyoji against them, let alone a part of someone else’s body, but their Master could do it with ease.

“Clearly,” he continued, “I’ve been mistaken.” When he released his control over their bodies, Ivy stumbled a bit before catching herself. “If you two want to fight so much, then you can spar against each other. Feel free to stop short of death, but show know mercy otherwise. We’ll put in double the training today so that you can put your energy into something useful. Understood?”

“ _Yes, Master!_ ”

The pain that lingered in their bodies was only a part of what they would experience that day.

* * *

Another day, another sparring. At the command from Master, Ivy charged forward at Ander, waiting on the other side of the outdoor arena as the tree branches swayed in the wind.

Ivy’s innate talent lied with the leaves, but Ander had always had a superior skill with fire. If you looked at the elemental pentagram, it was clear who stood with the advantage. Wood may have been able to subdue the underlying currents of metal, but it would succumb to ash when up against such a raging inferno. At age five, she had long lost track of the number of times her skin had blackened over in burns. Master never stopped Ander from going that far, because that was exactly what their Master wanted.

_Fighters that have no hesitation, even when fighting against—_

Ivy ducked back out of the way, not blinking at the flames that lit up the air in front of her face, burning a brilliant yellow. Keeping up her momentum from her previous dash, Ivy dropped to her knees and slid forward as far as she could. Once she almost ground to a halt, she called on the leaves near her, and they helped her back to her feet, just as Ander lit the ground on fire. Ivy jumped, aiming a kick at Ander’s gut. He reached out his hands to block it, and she twisted her body around to aim her other leg straight for his head. He spared one of his arms to block the blow, and his bulk made it so that the strike didn’t cause much damage or even leave an impact.

_That’s right, just watch me in front of you!_

Ivy spilled her will into the nature around her, and the leaves came to her, aiming their razor sharp edges at Ander’s back. His brown eyes widened for a moment, and he used what leverage he had to push Ivy back through the air. She flipped and landed on the ground, but even Ander wasn’t fast enough to avoid the assault coming after him. He moved enough to didge a debilitating blow, but thin lines of blood formed and spilt over on his arms.

To his credit, he didn’t hiss in pain nor reach to subdue to bleeding. He didn’t even attempt to taunt her over a thwarted move. Such things were pointless, even if she could read the intent in his narrowed eyes.

_You’re not getting the best of me, yet,_ Ander’s eyes said.

_And I’m not giving into you, either._

They had only paused for a second, all matters of hesitation gone from them. Ander launched himself forward first, moving in practiced kung fu forms. Ivy was just as versed as he was in the practice, so she had the counters ready for his movements. They exchanged blows for several moments, until Ivy realized that the air around her was growing hot, and not just from exertion.

_How much of his mana is he trying to pump into this?_

Ivy gritted her teeth and let the leaves she’d held her control over flutter to the ground. She recognized Ander’s tactics by now: he loved to set the world ablaze every time they fought, and Master always encouraged it. No matter what powers of wood she summoned, they wouldn’t stand a chance against his refined control.

She hadn’t won once against Ander since he’d learned his elemental name.

The mental distraction was more than enough for Ivy to lose focus—and then Ander was pushing her back into a corner. Unlike the indoor practice hall, there were no walls, but there was still the mental pressure that came. No matter how much control he had, it would be foolish to back her into a tree, but he didn’t need to. The courtyard was vast enough that he could easily keep her away from any ammunition before setting her aflame again.

_Are you ready?_ the look in Ander’s eyes asked, and there was something apologetic in them. _I’ll make it quick, so don’t worry. This’ll be over before you know it._

Except it wouldn’t be over. Whoever lost their battles first would have to take on extra lessons for the day, which amounted to nothing more than being at the whims of their Master’s abilities. Ander knew just as well as Ivy did what would happen next. She didn’t blame him for wanting to avoid it, but she was tired. Tired of the torture. Tired of the losing.

The flames leapt up in her vision before she had even time to think, leaving Ander’s skin unarmed but searing away at Ivy. Her training clothes quickly started to darken, and Ivy did her best to block the punch that Ander aimed at her stomach. Even with her efforts, the two-year gap in their strength was obvious, and she flew backwards. Rolling across the ground did nothing to erase the flames and heat that were eating at her.

As per the rules, such fights only ended whenever the loser lost consciousness or entered a state close to death. There was no exception; if it came down to it in the Shaman Fight, they needed to be ready to kill. She didn’t blame Ander doing as he was instructed but—

_I am so tired…of always being the one to lose. I want—for just once even—to win._

_Do you not know what power you have inside of you?_

The voice was not that of Ander, nor of Master. It was a voice Ivy recognized, though. It was the voice that had given her the words she needed to pass the test after she’d turned four, the one that had spoken to her in a few scant words on occasion. But she’d never heard the voice like this.

_It’s the sound of the elements…_

_If you wish for victory, all you need to do is speak it._

Speak it? She could hardly do anything anymore. While her mind clung to consciousness, she couldn’t even see the fire consuming her anymore; it had long robbed her of her sight. When she tried to move her mouth, all she could taste was unrelenting ash.

_Do not fret. The one in front of you isn’t someone who can overcome you. He does not have that right._

Right? He had more than enough right. Ander was older than her—stronger. He had more training, and he’d advanced further as not only a shaman, but as an onmyoji as well. He’d heard the call of the elements, and they’d blessed him with a name—

The sound of nature itself seemed to laugh. _His name is a mere trifle in comparison to yours. He may be one who will wield fire, but you can wield more than that._

Ivy was the one who felt like laughing. _Leaves cannot overcome fire._

_They can with your power behind them. Do you not realize who you are?_

_I’m Lon Ivy—_

_No,_ the elements said to her, and their voice was no longer a whisper, but a roar, _you are the one awaited for centuries. You are our princess. You are—_

Against the dirt, Ivy’s seared hand reached forward, helping her crawl towards Ander, even though she shouldn’t have been able to think, let alone move. Ander jumped back, increasing the power of his flames forward, and even their ever unimpressed Master leaned forward on the sidelines. And just as burnt as the rest of her, Ivy’s lips parted to mouth the name she’d just heard, followed by a short command.

_—Come._

The entire world around her seemed to shift at once. The flames burning so persistently no longer seemed like an enemy, no longer hurt. Every element within the immediate vicinity began to sing. The water from the pond on the opposite end of the courtyard flung up a wave to douse the fire burning at her, and the sweet scent of leaves began to heal her wounds. The earth itself helped her to her feet, and Ivy managed to smile as her skin stitched itself back together, even as her clothes remained burned and tattered.

“Huarthian,” she said, and Ander tensed in recognition. “You’re right, Ander. That is a pretty cool name you got there.” As Ivy stepped forward, Ander stepped back, his eyes wide as he realized just how she’d discovered it. “Fire burns in your soul. No wonder you’re so good at it.” She held up a hand, flames springing to life as she admired them. Like this, they no longer seemed so dangerous. “But I’m sorry. I think my name might just be a bit cooler than yours.”

_She’s come, she’s come—_

And, still smiling, Ivy raised a hand towards her sparring partner, and the elements responded to her will long before her mouth formed the words.

“ _Strike._ ”

_She’s here. Aviantei—the elemental princess has awoken._

* * *

_This feels…different this time…_

Ivy recognized death when it came to greet her. A single explanation from Hao years ago had been all it took for her to dive into what many considered the final unknown, to submit her soul back to the Great Spirit until she could claw her way back to Hao’s side, where she belonged. But before, she’d always had some enemy within hell to fight and overcome beforehand. Now, all she could see was blackness, so dark and absolute it threatened to consume her very existence.

_Why aren’t I…fighting…?_

**_Fighting happens in many ways._ **

It was not the voice of the elements. She couldn’t identify it, either. It reverberated with her very soul, in a way not even the elements did. Even more so than the presence of Kaede’s spirit ally, it terrified her. Even worse, she didn’t know why.

**_You are still fighting, even if you don’t recognize the opponent._ **

_What’s the point..? This won’t…help me be stronger…_

More than anything else, she got the feeling that something very far away was disappointed in her. But that was all she could even think before the darkness of uncertainty and memory swallowed her right back up.


	24. Part Twenty-Four: Magnanimity

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Four: Magnanimity

* * *

“Avi-chan, Avi-chan! Guess what I found out!”

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?!”

As the months rolled on, Ivy and Ander had started to practice their other languages in regular pacing. At Teacher’s instruction, they were to only use permitted languages within a certain day. At first, they’d been able to mix their native Chinese with either Japanese or English, but, as time went on, they didn’t have such allowances. Today was a day where only Japanese was permitted, but they’d sucked in enough vocabulary that keeping up a fluent conversation was little issue for the two children.

As was taunting each other.

“But Avi-chan,” Ander said, leaning against the door of her rather sparsely decorated bedroom, “you know that’s what I’d call you if we grew up in Japan, right? No need to look so sulky.”

Ivy scowled and closed the book she’d been reading on Japanese history. “If we’re going by that logic, then shouldn’t I be calling you Andie-nii?”

Ander bristled, jabbing a finger in her direction. “What’s with that ‘Andie’ nonsense? Show some respect to your older brother!” Ivy shrugged and placed her book on the side of her bed. Ander sighed and shook his head, then entered the room uninvited. He sat directly down into a cross-legged position, right across from Ivy. “Anyways, I was studying, and I realized that your elemental name’s really super cool, you know?”

“That’s what you interrupted my free time for?”

“I mean, it’s obviously not as cool as mine!” Ander puffed up again, and Ivy didn’t bother to argue with him. From what she understood, having the title of ‘fire priest’ was rather impressive—but it didn’t quite suit him all the way, no matter how skilled he was with the flames. “But I overheard Master and Teacher talking, and they were saying that your ‘Aviantei’ makes you a princess. Hey, how about I start callin’ you Avi-hime?”

Ivy turned back around and reached for the book she was studying.

Ander grabbed onto Ivy’s shoulders and turned her back around to face him. “Come on, come on, don’t you wanna do something with that power?” Ivy shrugged as best she could against her brother’s palms. “Don’t be like that. You can do a whole lot more than toss me around while sparring with that much ability, you know.”

“Obviously. We’re supposed to be training for the Shaman Fight.” Ivy shook off Ander’s hands and looked down at her own. Though the skin was soft without any signs of blisters or scars, she was still a warrior. If she could kill her opponents in training and take out the targets during tests, what else mattered? Certainly not the whispers she could hear while meditating, the voices of the elements as they— “Some of us are serious about winning, _Andie-nii_. Our names don’t matter at all.”

_No matter what I’m called, I’m not worth anything else._

* * *

“Hey, hey, what’s that?”

Despite herself, Ivy turned around at the sound of Issebella’s voice. At thirteen, Issebella had started gaining height quickly, and she easily towered over Ivy, even though she’d recently turned ten herself. Issebella leaned over, reaching out, and Ivy clasped her hands near her neck. “It’s none of your business!” She turned around, determined to make her way back to her tent, but Issebella grabbed onto Ivy’s shoulders, halting her advance.

“Come on, come on, Ivy, don’t be so stingy,” Issebella said, trying to pry the smaller girl’s hand away. Ivy tightened her grip on the pendant in her grasp, but Issebella had an advantage when it came to brute strength. “I bet that’s the birthday present you got from _Dio_. I wanna see!”

“No! Get off me!”

“Not a chance!” Issebella grinned, prying away Ivy’s fingers one by one. Too busy trying to support Issebella’s body weight, Ivy lost her grip along with her balance. The two girls went tumbling into the grass, and Issebella cheered as she came out on top, the charm in her hand. The small star glimmered silver. “Oh, that’s pretty. _Dio_ sure likes to spoil you~.”

Ivy gritted her teeth and smacked Issebella’s hand away. It wasn’t as satisfying as throwing Issebella off her, but it was the best she could do. “You know that Hao-dono doesn’t like money. He just stole it like he does everything else.” It didn’t mean anything special—if they wanted to celebrate their birthdays, Hao allowed everyone to make a request for a present. He would have done the exact same thing, no matter who had asked. Even so, that didn’t mean she wanted to show it off. “Now stop staring like an idiot and let me up.”

Issebella blinked, as if just remembering that she’d collapsed on top of Ivy. “ _Scusa, scusa!_ ” Issebella hopped up, offering Ivy help to her feet. She didn’t accept it, instead checking that Issebella’s manhandling hadn’t damaged the necklace before tucking it back into the safety of her shirt. “But Ivy, you shouldn’t be so mean when you talk to everyone. You make English sound so harsh!”

“Should I insult you in Italian then?”

“You just don’t get it!” Issebella crossed her arms and shook her head, like a disappointed mother scolding her child. Ivy glared up at Issebella as best she could. “You won’t ever make friends if you’re mean to anyone. The other girls tell me that you don’t ever hang out with them.”

Ivy could just as well imagine how that conversation went. “That’s because I don’t want to.” Ivy pulled herself up to her feet, jabbing a finger into Issebella’s chest. “If you want friends so badly, go hang out with them. I’m not interested in playing nice with you or anyone else.”

“But that’s no good at all.” Even as Ivy screwed up her face, Issebella didn’t back down. “Everyone needs friends, you know! You won’t be able to do anything if you’re always trying to do everything by yourself.” Issebella held out at hand. “I want to help you!”

“Well I don’t want it!” Ivy smacked Issebella’s hand out of the way before turning around. “I didn’t agree to help you with English just so you can pester me. I’m not here to make friends, and you need to get that through your head! I’m not going to hang out with you or anyone else.”

Satisfied by the stunned silence that followed, Ivy smiled to herself and turned to leave. _No matter how stupid she is, she’s going to have to give up eventually._

“Is that really how you feel, Aviantei?”

It only took a split second for Ivy to whirl around, a mana sharpened leaf in her hand, pointing directly at Issebella’s throat. Issebella stood in stunned silence as Ivy sucked in air, trying to control her breath. “You don’t,” Ivy said, her voice low, “get to call me that. _No one_ gets to call me that.”

Considering that Issebella knew that Ivy could easily injure her with her impromptu weapon, she had some guts for not backing down. “But _Dio_ calls you that all the time, and you never get mad at him!”

“You aren’t Hao-dono.” Ivy didn’t lower her hand, and Issebella didn’t budge. Even so, the older girl’s turquoise eyes were undeterred, stubbornness shining in them. “Hao-dono earned his right to call me that.” He’d heard her name from the elements themselves, but he’d never made a big deal about it, simply called it her rightful name. “You’re not an onmyoji. You’ll never be able to speak it right. You don’t even know what it means.”

“So then tell me what it means.” Slowly, Issebella stepped back from the leaf blade, but she didn’t make any sudden movements to counterattack. If she had, Ivy didn’t think she would have been able to hold back. “We’re all here to support _Dio_ , right? So you don’t need to treat the rest of us like enemies.”

Ivy reluctantly flicked her wrist, tossing the leaf back to the ground. “Sorry, but most of the people who call me that _are_ my enemies.” Ander and the others back at—she wouldn’t forgive them. Not knowing what else to do, Ivy stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Sheesh. Do you really think that calling me by some nickname is enough to make me want to get to know you?”

“Why not?” Issebella asked, that frustrating naivete in her voice. Ivy bit the inside of her cheek on the off chance that Issebella had something worthwhile to say. “When you call someone by a nickname, it means you care about them, right? _Dio_ calls you A—” Issebella cleared her throat at Ivy’s glare. “ _Dio_ calls you that because you two are close, doesn’t he? So why can’t I do the same?”

 _Is that honestly how she sees it? What if she’s right?_ Before the train of thought could go too far, Ivy shook her head. “Hao-dono is my lord and master, just like he is yours. There’s nothing special about it.” She kicked at the ground, then settled on a compromise. “Look, you can call me whatever you want _besides_ Aviantei. It’s not going to make us any closer. If you wanna waste your time, then fine by me.”

“You mean it, you mean it?” Not wanting to look at the stupid smile on Issebella’s face, Ivy looked away, hoping for some sort of convenient escape. There wasn’t one. “You said so, Ivy, so you can’t take it back. Hm, what kind of name suits you best…” As Issebella started muttering under her breath, Ivy gave in and sat back down in the grass, watching the campfire crackle before her. “I got it! You’re _Principessa_!”

Ivy flinched, staring with her jaw hanging wide open as her mind raced at one-hundred kilometers per hour. Even though she hadn’t learned the Italian word, Ivy’s English could easily connect the translation. _She didn’t pick that on purpose, did she? No, she has no idea, and Hao-dono wouldn’t tell her, no matter what. It’s just some dumb coincidence._

_“But I overheard Master and Teacher talking, and they were saying that your ‘Aviantei’ makes you a princess.”_

Desperate for anything to keep the echoing voices in her memory at bay, Ivy asked, “Why’d you pick that?” Even Issebella’s chattering was preferable to thinking about all the things she’d tried so hard to lock away.

Looking proud of herself, Issebella flopped down next to Ivy in a sprawled out sitting position, paying no mind to the precarious position of her skirt. “Well that’s ‘cause _Dio_ treats you different from everyone else. You can always get what you want off him.”

Ivy’s entire face burned a brilliant red. “That’s not true!”

“Nope, nope, you can’t fool me.” Issebella started counting off on her fingers. “If you tell him you wanna be by yourself, _Dio_ doesn’t complain. He got you that pretty necklace you wanted. Oh! And there was that one time you asked for ice cream and he went right out and got it for you.” Waggling her fingers in Ivy’s face, Issebella grinned. “You’re totally a _principessa_. Nothing wrong with that!”

“That’s just…because…” It was such a nonsense argument that Ivy should’ve been able to counter it without any problems, but she was too flustered to even string two words together. She hardly asked for anything; _that_ was why Hao was always happy to fulfill her requests. If anything, he might have seen her as special because she was an onmyoji just like him, but there wasn’t anything else. “Hao-dono’s…a good master, that’s all.” No matter how others saw him, he did care about his followers.

Issebella giggled to herself. “Whatever you say, _Principessa._ ”

Ivy opened her mouth to retort before she realized that it didn’t matter. If she protested too much, Issebella would just find some other ridiculous nickname to shove on her. It was better to not take her chances and accept things as it was. “Just because you call me that doesn’t mean I’m gonna start being your friend.”

Still, hearing that term of endearment from someone else wasn’t too bad at all.

From farther in the camp, the smell of dinner drifted through the air towards them.

* * *

_What’s the point of this?_

There wasn’t any sense in focusing on her surroundings; the space between her memories was nothing but pure black. As a spirit, her body had no weight. Ivy was simply floating in a vast emptiness that had no end or beginning, and—though she’d already tried to struggle—there was no way to fight her way out.

_What’s the point of remembering all this nonsense? It’s not going to make me stronger._

Her memories of the time before she’d run away and of being with Issebella—there wasn’t a point. The person she’d been as a child was long gone, more than aware that she hadn’t grown up in anything close to normal. The scattered months with her parents in between were the only semblance of love she’d received, before Ander snatched it away. Staying connected to that wouldn’t do anything good; rage alone hadn’t been enough to make her ready to face down Kaede’s spirit ally.

**_So then why do you cling to that rage?_ **

If she’d still had a body, the voice would have reverberated through every single centimeter of her. As things were, her soul shook in that empty black place where nothing else could reach it.

 _Because it’s all I have,_ she said in response, even though her lips didn’t move, and her voice didn’t form. _Ander and the rest took something precious away from me. They deserve to die. He deserves to burn, the same way my parents did._

**_Is that why you’ve taken away the same things from others as you have lost?_ **

_What’s that supposed to—?_

There was an impact; her body had gained form once more, and a weight pressed into her legs. When Ivy looked down, she found the shape of a young girl, her long pink hair spilling over her shoulders. “Is that why you killed my parents? Killed my family?” The girl looked up, and Estella cried as she clung to Ivy’s legs. “You wanted me to hurt the same way you did?! It’s not enough that you destroy everything around you; you had to do it to me, too?!”

Ivy almost choked on her own words, and Estella’s grip on her legs prevented her from stepping back. “That’s not what I wanted at all!”

“Then why’d you do it?!” Estella raised her tiny fist and punched as high on Ivy’s stomach as she could reach. “Why’d you go and kill everyone?”

“Because I had to!” Ivy pushed at Estella’s shoulders, but the girl didn’t budge, and Ivy’s own feet stayed frozen in place, even though there was no ground for her to stay attached to. “I needed to protect Hao-dono!”

“Is that why you just stood by back then?” At the sound of the new voice, Ivy looked up. Past the still flailing Estella stood Lyserg, but not in his X-Laws uniform. He wasn’t even a teenager, instead the small form of a six-year-old child that she’d only seen once in the flames. “You let Hao kill my parents because it was for his sake? Even though you knew what it would be like?” Lyserg brought a hand to his chest, as if touching not his heart, but his lungs. “You guaranteed that I would survive. Wasn’t that because you wanted me to hurt as much?”

“Hao-dono didn’t say you needed to die, too!” She wanted to keep shouting, even though her voice was growing weaker, right along with your resolve. Giving up on pushing away Estella, Ivy held onto her head. “I was a kid. I didn’t even know what I was doing; I just wanted to do something…”

“And you forgot all about it until I was right back in front of you,” Lyserg said, walking forward. Ivy shut her eyes, but she could still feel his presence growing closer. “Saving someone doesn’t make you a hero, you know.”

“Are you just gonna forget about me, too?” Estella asked, her hands buried into Ivy’s shirt. “It doesn’t matter what I do, so long as I don’t bother that precious master of yours, right? You’ll forget all about me, and it won’t matter how many people died because of you!”

“What about the people who died back then? For all your ‘training’?” Lyserg’s voice was close enough that he had to be right in front of her. “Was that not your fault because they told you to?” She could hear the disgust in his voice. “All you can do is follow other people’s orders, no matter who you’re going to hurt in the process.”

“That’s not true!” She had disobeyed Hao when she let Estella live, hadn’t she? And killing Ander—she’d decided on that revenge on her own free will. Ivy shook her head, even as her own voice started to break. “I’m doing what I need to so I can live. I need to make sure that I can support Hao-dono. I need to—”

“Even if it means making other people suffer, too?” Estella asked.

“Even if you’re going to destroy what happiness other people have?” Lyserg asked.

**_You won’t even fight against what you need to, and you speak as if you’re in the right._ **

“I’m,” Ivy said through shaking breaths, “just like they wanted me to be.” A perfect weapon that wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone that got in her way—even her own flesh and blood. She would obliterate everything in her path without a second thought, because that’s what she was supposed to do. She breathed out a mirthless laugh as she opened her eyes, looking at the children she’d harmed—and the faint figure of herself as a child, crying amidst the suffering and soot of fire. “No matter how much I run away, no matter where in the world I go, I’m not going to escape that.”

Something like the scent of burning wood tried to reach her in the dark, but Ivy was already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the guest for the kudos~!


	25. Part Twenty-Five: Determination

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Five: Determination

* * *

“Will you tell me something, Aviantei?”

Sitting by the campfire, Ivy looked up from her position, legs pulled up to ger chest. She was six years old, and it hadn’t been even a full week since she’d left the burned remains of her parents’ home. She’d washed away most of the soot and ashes from her skin, but her clothes still carried scuff marks and tears from the danger that had been around her. Though she’d been traveling, they hadn’t come across any sort of town to get her some new clothes, so she was making do. After all, she had access to food and water; the comforts of a home weren’t necessary for survival.

And all of that was possible because of the boy who’d pulled her out of the flames, the one who’d introduced himself as Asakura Hao and called her elemental name. If nothing else, she owed him conversation for that, if not a whole life debt. “What do you want to know?”

Sitting across the fire from her, Hao looked at ease, even in the pitch dark of night with clear stars hanging above them. “I’ve been thinking about what you said when we first met, and I’d like to hear more about it.” And though he was a child like her, he tilted his head with an air that suggested experience and said casually, “You said you were going to kill the person who killed your parents, is that right?”

If they were any other pair of children, the chances of having such a conversation would have dropped. But Ivy understood that Hao was much more than a simple child, while she had gone through enough training to not even flinch at the idea of death—and especially not at the thought of causing it with her own hands. So Ivy nodded, and answered, “I am.” She didn’t know about Master or Teacher, but she could manage killing Ander. The elements were much more on her side than his.

_And I still lost when he came…_

_Because you’d gotten soft._

When she’d ran away, she’d tried to abandon all the horrible parts of her training. She kept the elements close, but separated herself from the violence, from the ability to hurt other people, clinging to the idea that it would be okay. Because she had felt _safe_ there.

And then she’d made the mistake of thinking that Ander would change, too, that he would hesitate to hurt anyone.

“I won’t let him get away with it,” she said, gripping her hands into fists hard enough to make her whole body shake. “I won’t trust him ever again.”

_It doesn’t matter if he’s family. He deserves to die._

She looked at Hao, mustering the fiercest glare she could manage. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Hao chuckled, his laugh as short-lived and brilliant as sparks from the fire. “I’d be quite the hypocrite if I tried to stop you.” Ivy frowned, but Hao didn’t do anything to elaborate the point. “I’m just simply curious about your resolve. Will you be able to hold onto it long enough to see it through? Are you convinced that the path you’re choosing to take is the right one?” He spread out his hands, the star patterns on his cloak stretching. “You see, it doesn’t matter if I have a problem with it. But if your will falters, then who knows how things will turn out? You might lose something important again, Aviantei.”

“What, do you think I can’t do it?” Ivy dropped her hands to the ground, fingers digging into the earth. “I’ve killed before. Ander wouldn’t be the first.”

“Yes, but fratricide is new to you.” Ivy frowned, not recognizing the word, even from her intensive Japanese lessons. Before she could even start to piece together sounds she recognized, Hao continued, “The killing of one’s own brother. I already know what you’re capable of. But as someone who’s stood in a similar situation to you before, let me give you a bit of advice: if you don’t think you’ll be able to live with the decision, you’ll have much more trouble moving forward. That’s all.”

Dirt and grass pressed underneath her nails, and Ivy looked away from Hao’s amber gaze, not wanting to see the way he looked at her—almost as if she were something fascinating to study, too see how she’d handle the situation before her. Their bodies may have been close in age, but Hao’s mind was another matter, and something like watching a girl contemplate killing her own brother might have been highly amusing. Or maybe he was thinking something else entirely; she couldn’t get a good read on him. But regardless—

 _I refuse to back down._ Though they’d settled down in a clearing, there were still trees nearby, and their energy reached out to Ivy as she refined the edge of her mental blade. _I’m the one who lead Ander to my parents. The least I can do is avenge them._ A lump that she hadn’t noticed in her throat faded away, and Ivy looked up to Hao. “And if I decide to go through with it despite your warning?”

“Oh, I’ll help you with it, of course.” Hao clapped his hands together, and Ivy blinked, not expecting the response. “Like I said, I offered to take you on a journey, and you accepted. I don’t intend to break that agreement. It won’t be any issue to train you along the way. After all, you already have plenty of power behind you, Aviantei. It’s just a matter of refining it.”

Ivy considered it. Hao had already identified himself as an onmyoji by his words, and his actions over the past week had cemented that assertion: he called fire with a snap of his fingers, made river water clean enough to drink without any sort of technology to assist. Even more so, he was powerful, the elements never once resisting his call and winding around him like a cat content with its owner. He had to be stronger than Teacher, even Master. It was a good deal.

_Too good of a deal._

“What’s the catch?”

Ivy had faintly hoped that figuring that much out would surprise Hao at least a little, but his expression didn’t so much as twitch, other than his lips opening to respond, “I’d like for you to join me.” No hesitation, just confidence. “Surely you’re aware of the Shaman Fight. There aren’t too many other reasons for you to have the level of skill as an onmyoji you do otherwise.”

Ivy got the impression that Hao knew exactly what the other reasons were. But he wasn’t completely wrong, so she nodded.

“I’m going to enter, and I will emerge as the Shaman King. That’s what I came back for, after all. And I’ve learned from my previous failures. One-thousand years ago and five-hundred years ago—I chose to enter on my own. And while I had the strength to make it to the end, it will be a hassle to expend all my effort on the pathetic attempts of those who want to stop me.” Hao extended a hand, the campfire crackling higher at the gesture. Even though it wasn’t an offensive move, Ivy couldn’t help but flinch. “And so I’m gathering and training followers to help. In exchange for your training, I’d like for you to be one of them.”

The near torrent of information rushed over Ivy, and she worked on putting the pieces together. The boy who was not a boy intended to be Shaman King. If she became a member of his support, then he’d train her. Maybe it should have been a conflict of interest—everything Teacher and Master had put her and Ander through, they had done in preparation for sending them to the Shaman Fight with the intention to win.

_Like I’ll do anything they wanted ever again._

She didn’t want to win the Shaman Fight—didn’t even know why Teacher and Master had been so insistent on it in the first place. Restoring the glory of their lineage? Why bother when they’d tainted it so much on their own? Even if Ivy were to participate and become victorious as the Shaman King, she certainly wouldn’t follow their doctrine.

But now she knew better.

She wouldn’t win— _couldn’t_ win when the boy before her was also going to enter.

When Asakura Hao would stand on that battlefield. _He’d destroy them all._

“I’m almost certain that the one who killed your parents will also come to the Shaman Fight, will he not?” Hao said, the words a rhetorical question. “The fight will happen at the new millennium. That’s more than enough time for me to train you, and then you can take your vengeance without needing to track him down or return to that place. As the one who holds the name Aviantei, I have no doubt you’ll be beyond ready by then, even against a fellow onmyoji.”

Ivy swallowed to stop herself from agreeing right away. It was tempting, yes, the promise of power—but despite every awful thing she’d done, Teacher’s lessons had been useful. Acting on instinct was asking to get taken advantage of, even if the faint voices of the elements around her said it would be okay to listen. She tried to compose herself, though her voice still faltered, “What would I do for you then? As a follower.”

Hao nodded, not seeming annoyed by the question at all. “As I said, I’m asking for help. I have no doubt I can handle the pitiful resistance of those who will stand against me, but it will be much of a hassle doing it on my own. I’m asking for my followers to help fight against these enemies. Additionally, part of the Shaman Fight will be in teams, so having those loyal to me will help.” He tilted his head back, observing the night sky and the beautiful pinpricks of light that were faint glimmers of the vast galaxy around them. “In exchange, I will create a world where no one will suffer persecution from humans again. We will wipe them out. I don’t think you’ve had to deal with the direct results much, but I can assure you there are plenty of people out there who would treat you like a monster for your ability.”

Ivy didn’t doubt it.

She’d heard Master talking about it on occasion, a bitter tone in his voice of how humans had turned against the shamans who had once been their saviors.

She’d seen Mother and Father’s sad smiles when she’d asked why they lived so far away from any town.

She’d been lucky to avoid it, but it still existed.

_And if he wants to stop that, then I see no reason to not stand by his side. No, I don’t care. He saved me from the flames. He’ll train me until I’m strong enough to kill Ander._

_He’ll train me so I can get stronger, stronger, **stronger** —_

“I’ll do it,” Ivy said, the hunger inside of her making it into her voice. “I’ll serve as one of your followers if you help me achieve my revenge.” She dipped her head in humility and reverence. “Please take me on as your student, Hao-dono.”

Another name danced on the tip of her tongue, one that escaped before she could figure out how to pronounce it.

“I’m glad to hear it. We’ll assume your training in the morning,” Hao said, such a sincere expression on his face that he almost looked his age in the warm glow of the fire. “If you’ve chosen this path, I assume you’ve decided that you won’t waver from your goal? Even if it means bringing death upon others and cutting their dreams short?”

Ivy clenched her hands into fists and stared down her new master. “I won’t waver,” she said, the words coming out biting and harsh. “They taught me how to kill. I’ll use that ability to take their remaining student away. I’ll do whatever it takes to end him!”

_I’ll do whatever it takes to support you._

“Excellent.” Throughout the smoothly spoken syllables, Hao’s voice shifted, from the higher pitch of his childhood towards the timbre he held as an old soul living in a young man’s body. Ivy swallowed, recognizing herself in the memory. “Back then, you decided not to crumble, no matter what you faced. So why are you faltering now? Did you change your mind? It does happen, even to the best of us.”

“No.” Despite realizing what was happening, Ivy’s voice still came out sounding like her six-year-old self after discovering the burned corpses of her parents: high-pitched, hoarse, torn to pieces. “No, I refuse to give it up. Not after I’ve trained for so long. That would be like saying everything I did since then was pointless!”

Hao hummed a bit in contemplation, fifteen-years-old and sitting across the campfire. “I don’t know if I’d say that. Plenty of people find meaning in arriving at the present, even if they once envisioned a different future.” He raised a hand, palm flat and right side up, and the flames sang in recognition of even that simple movement. “If you want to change your mind, I won’t stop you, Aviantei. After all—

“Even if you decide not to pursue your revenge, I know you’ll still help me achieve my goals.”

 _Ah, it doesn’t matter,_ Ivy realized. _Either way, I’m still a tool. Just because I gave myself willingly to Hao-dono, that doesn’t make it any different._ She closed her eyes, a broken kind of laugh escaping into the memory of the night. _But still, I chose this path. I decided on this future._ Though the phantom images of Estella, of Lyserg fell over her vision, Ivy willed them away as she slammed a fist into the ground. “ _I will not waver!_ ”

The elements around her sang in response, their voices sounding like a roaring chorus, before the memory slipped away entirely, leaving behind the previous black nothingness again. Hao still remained before her, though Ivy knew it was a reflection of her mind rather than his actual soul come to meet her within the Great Spirit. Even so, seeing him brought her comfort.

 ** _You’ve chosen your path,_ **the voice from the distance rumbled. **_Follow it back towards life._**

 _What?_ Ivy asked. _No more criticisms this time?_

**_It is not our place to criticize or judge. We only manifest the challenges within your heart._ **

She almost frowned but pushed the thought away. She’d fought through the struggles of death, though it had been a different Hell than before. And that meant she’d earned the right to become stronger. She stared forward, and though Hao’s image had faded, the path she needed to follow was clear.

**_We will see you once more when you’ve completed the cycle of life._ **

Leaving behind the voice and the phantoms of broken children, Ivy reached out towards the scent of burning wood.

* * *

It had been so long since she had undergone the Hell training that Ivy almost gasped at the sensation of returning to life.

Passing on, becoming a spirit still felt very much like being a person, especially for those with denser mana. Entering one of the many communities within the Great Spirit enhanced that, but it was never truly the same as being _alive_. Your senses were slightly dulled. Your body was oddly light. You didn’t need to breathe.

A living body required all of that and so much more. The boost in mana after a successful resurrection helped, made her feel much more powerful. And, as an onmyoji, the _true_ voices of the elements reached out to her, burning with the life of the planet pulsing beneath them, clamoring for her attention after her absence.

_Aviantei._

_Aviantei!_

**_Avi—_ **

“Aviantei.”

The memory of Hao’s voice had nothing in comparison to the real thing, and his presence was even more vibrant. Though the darkened evening air had a faint chill to it, there was the crackle of a nearby campfire, bringing with it the scent of smoke. Ivy worked to sit up, her muscles protesting against the movement after essentially lying comatose for a while. Her personal leaves and the limited vegetation around her responded to the healing she asked for. Seeing where Hao was in relation to her, Ivy bowed her head towards him. “I’ve returned, Hao-dono.”

“Aviantei-onee-chan!” With a launching speed almost on par with her Over Soul, Opacho catapulted into Ivy’s chest, leaving Ivy to scramble to catch the small girl in a hug. “Opacho glad you back! Opacho worried. Aviantei-onee-chan gone long time. More than normal!”

Ivy’s brow furrowed at the words. It was so difficult to keep track of time when in the Great Spirit, and the fact that she’d been in a swirl of old memories didn’t help. “How long was I out?”

“Approximately four days, Ivy-dono.” Mya came closer, offering a sincere smile. “I had faith that you would return, but I am glad to see you again.” _That was longer than usual, though._ No wonder she felt so stiff.

“Well, as you mentioned, it more is about the quality of the time you’ve spent than how long you are there. And from what I can sense, you had a quality experience,” Hao said. Ivy would have to be satisfied with that. “Ah, it seems your teammates have finished as well. One moment.”

Hao performed two subsequent resurrections following right after Ivy’s own, not looking impacted by the large cost of mana, and then there was a loud gasp as Issebella woke up. It didn’t take long for her to launch out of where she’d been resting. “Whoo! It feels good to be alive. Hey, hey, Kaede, are you doing okay? It was your first time, right?”

“I’m okay,” Kaede said, causing nowhere near as much of a ruckus. “That was…different.”

“Yup, yup. Hell training is something else, but it’s totally worth it.” Already tired of the chatter, Ivy patted Opacho’s head one more time and then stood up, cradling the child in her arms towards where Hao sat. Unfortunately, her movement caught Issebella’s attention. “Good morning, _Principessa_! Let me guess. You want to spar?”

Ivy shook her head, not even bothering to look back. “I don’t need to. I can already tell that you’ve grown enough to get the results I was hoping for. That’s enough for me. We should be ready when the tournament begins.” Opacho nuzzled against Ivy one last time before wiggling herself free and hopping back to the ground. Having adjusted back to her body, Ivy felt very aware of the hollow pit that was her stomach. “I wouldn’t say no to rounding up something to eat, though.”

“Okay! Team meal, right?!”

“I’d like some dinner, too,” Kaede said.

 _They want to come with me._ Part of Ivy automatically resisted the idea, not wanting to put up with company so soon after—

_After thinking about it._

“Reporting to me can wait, Aviantei,” Hao said. Opacho had plopped herself down at his side, looking much more content than her earlier panic. “You should care for your bodies. Even with my mana, I can only sustain you for so long. It’ll do you good.” He smiled. “I’ll even overlook the little collection of money Issebella has been hiding from me, so go have a good time. We can refine adjusting to your new capacity in training tomorrow.”

Issebella squawked, then snatched onto Ivy’s wrist, pulling her along and snatching to Kaede on the way out. “Let’s go, _Principessa_ , Kaede! We can wash up while we’re in town, too.” Issebella’s grip was flimsy, and it would have been easy to shake her off—but Ivy didn’t. “ _É una festa!_ So let’s go wild!”

If nothing else, the noise would be a welcome distraction.

* * *

“So she finally woke up. ‘Bout time, Avi-hime.”

The boy’s dismissive tone held a sadistic mix of joy and malice. The sensation of mana and spirit returning to where it belonged had been the first thing to rouse him in days. It had been so boring, waiting for the stragglers to make their way to the Patch village, waiting for the next round of the Shaman Fight to start.

Waiting for the opportunity where he would be allowed to hunt the prey he’d set free all those years ago.

“Just a bit longer and I’ll finally be able to see you again,” he said, speaking to only the air. He curled his hand into a fist, his excitement igniting flames along his skin. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

* * *

The vision was one of the ones that was so powerful that Hao could read it from Opacho’s mind without even trying. Though the night had fallen in earnest, Opacho had asked to stay up until Aviantei returned, and Hao had obliged, waiting with her. But when the vision had started, Hao had gotten the full brunt of things, seeing a face that had both changed much and very little from the memories in Aviantei’s mind.

Opacho, while resilient to have made it as far as she had, shuddered and scooted closer to Hao’s side. “That person Opacho saw… He look like Aviantei-onee-chan, but scary.”

Hao patted Opacho’s hair in comfort. “That’s because he’s her older brother.” By blood, if by nothing else. “But you don’t need to worry about him, Opacho. Aviantei’s going to defeat him, and he won’t be an issue anymore.” Because not only had she honed her mana then, she’d honed her resolve as well.

Ander would _not_ survive the next time their paths crossed. Aviantei would guarantee it.

Opacho nodded. “Just because he look scary doesn’t mean he stronger. Aviantei-onee-chan way better!”

It was funny, how the bonds of family worked. They had no blood relation, but Opacho viewed Hao and Aviantei as older siblings, if not as parents, and Aviantei felt the same for Opacho, though it was a tentative sort of love. But when it came to her blood brother, he had taken something precious away from her, and she was ready to murder him as soon as the opportunity presented itself. She felt nothing for Ander but pure animosity.

Hao wasn’t one to talk, considering his own familial relations.

_I suppose I’ll be seeing my own brother soon enough, too._

After all, less than a week remained until the next round of the Shaman Fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very much thanks for the kudos and the comments!


	26. Part Twenty-Six: Commencement

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Six: Commencement

* * *

Riding atop the Spirit of Fire, Ivy grudgingly admitted to herself that Issebella taking them out shopping before the next round of the Shaman Fight hadn’t been such an awful idea. While it was hard to say she was cold, since, given the vast amount of heat that radiated off the Spirit of Fire’s body, even riding at high altitudes was downright temperate. But the air still whipped by as they kept pace with the Patch’s Over Soul helicopters, accompanied by the occasional sprit of chill from the ocean below. Short sleeves wouldn’t have done her much good.

“Oh, oh, is that the Island of Tokyo? It totally is! Look, look, Kaede-chan!”

“Issebella-san, please stop shaking me.”

Issebella’s enthusiastic shout was enough to catch everyone’s attention, even the rest of Hao’s followers. While they weren’t as boisterous about the whole thing as she was, an interested chatter built up among the group. Though they had the power of foresight about what the next round of the tournament would be like thanks to Hao’s knowledge, it was different seeing the location first hand, even if it was just a vague shape in the distance.

Ivy raised her head a bit but didn’t get too mixed up in the hubbub. The few features that should make out of Tokyo were enough with how the elements there were stirring at the approach of new people. Forests clustered many areas, surrounding the earth and metal mountains, everything resting in the cradle of saltwater. Though Mya had retreated to her memorial tablet for the trip, Ivy could feel her contentedness at being so close to the ocean.

That much water could become a powerful weapon in their hands. Even if the Shaman Fight would take place in the Patch’s arena, those weren’t going to be the only battles that would take place there.

 _More so than ever, every shaman that has come so far is going to be our enemy._ Including Ha-Gumi’s numbers and Hao himself, there were fifteen of them against the other fifty-four competitors. Depending on how things went and subtracting Yoh-dono from the number, that would could turn into fifty-three corpses before things were said and done. If they each split up and took out a whole enemy team by themselves, things would be over before anyone knew it.

 _But it’s not worth it to exert ourselves so much. Some of them are weaklings, but there are a few potential challengers involved. We follow the tournament rules until Hao-dono says otherwise._ Contemplating strategy, Ivy clenched her fists. _With how many teams there are, I’ll only get a few tournament fights. Beating Ander there would be easiest, because there’s no outside interference, so I can hope he will be one of my rounds. But if I had to pick anyone else, I’d like to fight Ren-chan’s team for a rematch—_

“Ooh, _Principessa’s_ making that face again. You thinking about fighting Ren-chan again?” Without a single shred of self-preservation, she poked at Ivy’s cheek. The Chinese girl slapped the offending finger away, and the only reason that she didn’t break it was because she didn’t want to deal with the hassle of healing it. “That’s a yes! _Principessa_ doesn’t get worked up about much out.”

Keeping a much safer distance from the commotion, Kaede nodded. “I hope you get the match that you want.”

Ivy exhaled, tossing some hair over her shoulder so it would stop blowing in her face. “Ren-chan isn’t the most important enemy we need to worry about.” In the grand scheme of things, Ander wasn’t the most important, either, but Hao had promised back then. One way or another, Ivy would get her revenge, and then she could finish repaying her debt to Hao for his help. “No matter who we’re up against in this tournament, losing isn’t an option. I hope you two understand that.”

Issebella grinned. “If the _Principessa_ says so—”

The corners of Kaede’s lips twitched up the slightest amount. “—then we’ll follow through.”

“Ah, ah, I saw that! _Hyaku egao—!_ ”

 _How ridiculous,_ Ivy thought, leaving the two to their nonsense and turning her gaze back forward, the Island of Tokyo drawing ever closer. _But if that’s what it takes for them to be successful…_

She supposed she didn’t mind it much.

* * *

Just like they had in the Patch Village, Hao opted to stay away from the main lodgings for most of the competitors, both because he enjoyed his solitary areas and because sitting in the middle of their enemies would be inviting more trouble than it was worth. Then again, he had also rode in on the Spirit of Fire and no one had dared chance an attack the whole way there, even if they kept pace with the Patch’s helicopters, which spoke enough as a testament to his reputation, so maybe it was a moot point.

Well, there was a nice hot spring he’d picked out for their campground anyways. Perhaps the rest was splitting hairs.

As per usual, his followers settled into their routine of setting up like clockwork, the individual cliques coming together as they always had over the years. Considering that if he tried to get involved with the process he’d be met with various protests that there was no need to bring himself to such a level (Matilda in particular tended to vocalize her displeasure in those situations), Hao decided to trust the rest to their tasks and go check on the tournament brackets, since they’d be posting soon.

For a brief moment, he considered inviting Aviantei, but she seemed to be in the middle of scolding Issebella about something or the other, so he decided to let her be. While he appreciated her cold and calculating mentality when things needed to get done, it was also amusing to watch her become so frustrated over the smallest things. Chuckling to himself as their bickering increased, Hao called out to one of his other followers instead. “Opacho, I’m heading out. Would you like to come along?”

Opacho was at his side in a blur. “Hao-dono go for a walk?” she asked, looking up to him with wide eyes.

“Yes, and I’ll be checking on the tournament rankings, so we’ll be out for a while.” That didn’t deter Opacho in the slightest, and she trotted along beside him as they stepped away from the hubbub of assembling tents and setting up the campfires. Given their isolated location on the island, it didn’t take long for those sounds to become swallowed up in nature, and then their surroundings fully turned to trees and grass as they proceeded around the edge of the hills.

Hao enjoyed the silence while he could, with only the occasional flicker of the elements’ voices slipping into his awareness, and Opacho trotted next to him, wholly content. After some time, though, the Patch’s latest construction project came into view, and the voices of many shamans chattering became louder. There was still a lot of hubbub from people discovering their lodgings, but much of the commotion was coming from the area where the tournament results had been posted.

Not wanting to deal with the potential commotion of those who would recognize them, Hao and Opacho stopped before they entered the area, sticking to the line of trees nearby. Besides, that was close enough to get the information he wanted.

The Spirit of Fire may have been his primary spirit ally, but smaller spirits easily served as shikigami, and that was more than enough to learn the names of his followers’ teams as well as their opponents once the small spirits reported back.

_It seems I’ll get an opportunity to take down some of the X-Laws’ number first._

_Ah, and that Tao boy that Aviantei is interested in will face Bōz and Tecolote. Should be interesting._

_The others don’t seem to be fighting anyone of significance, so that will leave them fresh for other matters._

_And Aviantei’s opponents, then—_

“Well then.”

At the first spoken word from Hao since they’d left the camp, Opacho tilted her head. “Hao-dono?”

The team name against Ha-Gumi had been Huŏ Jìsī, written in Chinese script. To anyone else, it may have seemed inauspicious, especially among the other names the contestants had come up with to represent their triads. For factions like the X-Laws, Gandara, and Hao’s own, the matching names they held were a symbol of solidarity, but there was no other title to match that of Aviantei’s upcoming opponents.

Unless one translated.

Unless one understood not only the Elemental Language, but also the name of the person whom the team’s designation matched with.

 _Huarthian_ , Hao considered, wanting to laugh at the implications of such a name. _You’ve made your declaration of war, shown yourself to the hunter who has been seeking you. Are you ready to become the prey?_

“Don’t worry, Opacho.” Smiling more to himself than anything, Hao dismissed his shikigami and looked back down to Opacho. “I was just thinking that every now and then, the Great Spirit decides to do something worthwhile after all.”

Within the very first round of matches, Aviantei would stand across the arena from Ander.

* * *

It was the first match of the next round of the Shaman Fight, and Ivy couldn’t decide how to feel.

On one hand, she would be facing Ander within a manner of days, though it wouldn’t be until the last slot of the first round. She had no doubt based on his team name that her opponent would be Ander, which was good, but her levels of agitation had risen because it was something so very close but also _so very far off_. After so many years of training for her vengeance, having to wait any longer felt like a cruel joke—and consequently, her mood sour.

On the other hand, Ren’s team was part of the very first battle, about to start shortly. It would be the first time since Mesa Verdede that she had seen him, and she was eager to see how his skills had advanced since their first battle over a year ago. The mix of excitement over the battle to come and the impatience that it wasn’t her on the battlefield created a discordant jumble within her emotional state.

“Hey, _Principessa_ , Horohoro’s on Ren-chan’s team, right?” Issebella asked, seated beside her. Kaede flanked Ivy’s other side, and they were in the same row as Hao, Opacho, and Luchist, with the others of their group seated in the rows behind. The rest of the stadium was almost packed to its brim with competitors and visitors alike, and Ivy forced her eyes to stay locked on the platform below, rather than searching for signs of Ander. Her words half laughs, Issebella propped her chin in her hands and leaned forward. “Do you think that he’ll get the chance to fight today? I haven’t gotten the chance to see him battle yet, but he’s gotta be stronger than Bōz, right?”

It wasn’t the most encouraging thing to say about their fellow comrades—but Ivy had to agree that, out of the rest of Hao’s followers, the musician duo was at the bottom tier, especially after the loss of Boris and Yamada back in Mesa Verdede. The fact that no one else within their group protested all but proved those words. “While I don’t have the faintest clue how strong that boy is, I doubt Ren-chan would let anyone on his team be so weak.” Just like Ivy, Ren held a certain standard when it came to those around him—if not in personality, then at least in battle prowess. “With that in mind, the other one should be decent enough as well. The real test will be how they handle Tecolote.”

_You said you would show me what happens when I underestimate what you’re capable of, Ren-chan. If you’re going to do that, then you can’t lose against Tecolote, either._

It wasn’t too much longer before one of the Patch officiants—Radim—made it to the center of the stadium and began to explain the rules of the next round: a series of three-on-three battles where the goal was to incapacitate the other team, either by exhausting their mana so that they couldn’t form an Over Soul any more or by knocking them out of bounds of the totem poles around the battlefield. Forfeits were allowed, and there was no time limit. Essentially, it operated like the preliminary rounds, but as team matches in much shorter succession.

With that out of the way, Radim worked on introducing the next teams: Ren’s own, as well as Tsuchi-Gumi as their opponents. Ivy didn’t listen much, seeing as she already knew who all the contenders were. She stared down Ren, trying to get a handle on his abilities from a distance, but he’d done a good job at keeping his mana contained so that any opponents wouldn’t be able to gauge his strength so quickly.

While Ivy was content to watch and wait, Issebella launched herself up to the edge of the banister before them, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Kick some ass, Horohoro!” she shouted in Italian.

Ivy grimaced. “It’s not like he can understand you when you don’t speak English.”

Issebella beamed over her shoulder. “Yeah, but then he’ll know it’s me that cheered for him!”

“Traitor,” Marie whispered from behind them.

“Now, now, don’t be like that,” Hao said, not once looking at his collected followers. “I think a little healthy competition is fun. Besides, I never expected Bōz to make it far in this competition anyways.” He chuckled, the sound alone enough to calm everyone down, even as the battle began—with Ren delegating Joco into the position of taking on their foes.

While her expression stayed mostly neutral, Ivy didn’t miss Kaede sitting up a bit straighter to get a better view. “He fights somewhat like me,” Kaede said. “I could feel it the last time around him.”

That piqued Ivy’s interest a bit, considering that Kaede didn’t have the most conventional type of Over Soul out there. Ren had managed to gather an interesting team, then. Sure enough, Kaede’s assessment had been correct, since Joco had integrated his jaguar spirit and used it to quickly take care of Bōz. Impressive, in a two on one, yes, but it didn’t do much to combat Tecolote’s higher level of skill.

_Still, points to the kid for not giving up even when he’s burned through a decent chunk of his mana._

And then Ivy took back her opinion as Joco unleashed his next move.

“C’mon, Mic! Over Soul! _Ayer’s Rock!_ ”

Dead silence fell over the arena as everyone took a moment to process the nondescript chunk of Over Soul mass that had risen. It didn’t seem to serve any offensive or defensive capabilities that Ivy could sense. Kaede’s usually impassive lips turned down into a frown. “What’s the point of performing a joke that the crowd can’t even see?” Ivy didn’t bother to ask; so long as Kaede could keep focused on the Shaman Fight at hand, it didn’t matter what caught her interest.

Not when Joco’s Over Soul collapsed and Ren’s mana spiked as he entered the battle.

Ivy had hoped for something impressive, especially after he’d had time to train his power further. Blasting away Tecolote with a single strike, taking him out of bounds and putting an end to the match. True, the man had been weakened thanks to Joco clearing out the calavera dolls, but it was such a swift show of power that there wasn’t enough time to get a full grasp on his abilities, and yet—

“Five-thousand-seven-hundred-and-twenty-one,” Hao said, reading the value of his Oracle Pager before tugging his glove back on. Even Ivy couldn’t help but feel impressed by the over five times increas of Ren’s mana value, especially for the short amount of time that had passed. “Two months ago, he looked into the heart of the Great Spirit. When one’s worldview is shattered by so powerful a vision there’s an opportunity for growth. The Great Spirit has blessed Ren.” Hao’s smile was infectious, and Ivy couldn’t help but match the expression as she looked back to the arena. “Maybe I’ll recruit him someday.”

“You hear that, _Principessa_?” Issebella said, leaning over the armrest between them and into Ivy’s personal space. “You might get to be on the same side as Ren-chan, after all!”

 _Ren-chan as an ally, huh?_ Ivy had never considered such a thing before—even as children, he had seemed like a rival, someone that would also stand in the Shaman Fight as a representative of his family’s ideals. Sure, if they were on the same side, she could probably corral him into battle for the sake of practicing their skills, but she wasn’t sure that was what she’d truly want.

_There’s a difference between practice and fighting to show your dominance. And Ren-chan may be stubborn, but I don’t think I could get what I wanted if we were allies— No, I shouldn’t be thinking like that._

“If that’s what Hao-dono wants, I have no room to argue,” she said, though it was a struggle to keep her voice even. A strange sort of excitement was busy bubbling up inside her at the prospect of Ren’s growth as an opponent. “Though I have a hard time imagining someone like Ren-chan tossing his pride aside and serving someone else’s goals.” His declaration of war against Yoh in the stadium below served as evidence enough of that idea.

Hao chuckled, as nonchalant as ever. “You may be right, Aviantei, but I’d be remiss not to at least attempt to gain an ally with such potential. There’s no harm in trying!”

Ivy nodded. In the end, that choice would be Ren’s, and her personal feelings wouldn’t have anything to do with it.

Her desire to test her strength against someone of power.

Her discomfort at watching the Tao family show their blatant support for their heir.

Her ambition to take her vengeance on Ander.

_If it’s to help Hao-dono, I don’t mind in the slightest. But, if I were to be completely honest…_

“ _I hope that we get the chance to fight sometime soon, Ren,_ ” she said, the words in Chinese.

The fact that he couldn’t hear her own declaration of war didn’t matter in the slightest.


	27. Part Twenty-Seven: Doctrine

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Seven: Doctrine

* * *

Getting to watch Ren participate in his first round of battle of the Shaman Fight tournament had filled Ivy with a giddy sort of exhilaration.

Watching Lyserg about to do the same was causing the opposite effect.

She’d known, back when they talked in Mesa Verdede. She’d understood that they were to be enemies from that day out, standing on opposing sides of a war. But seeing him stand in the arena, proudly dressed in his snow white uniform alongside Marco in all his arrogance and the iron maiden torture device that housed Jeanne, the X-Laws’ leader—it brought the whole reality of the situation home, dashing any hopes that maybe in the past few months he’d changed his mind and decided to alter his course.

Seeing him standing there felt far too much like watching Estella’s trembling form as she recognized that everyone she’d ever cared for was dead.

It felt too much like watching her younger self.

“Hmm, the X-Laws’ top team is up first,” Hao said, as casually perched in his arena seat as always. “This could be interesting. We have their Iron Maiden leader here. But what’s more interesting…is that the child I met eight years ago has joined them.” His chuckle was enough to even send a shiver down Ivy’s spine. “I’m going to enjoy this. Ah, yes, you were there when we first met the boy, Aviantei. Do you remember?”

“I do,” she said, not having any option but to answer. The memory along with her past few conversations was creating a pit of nausea in her stomach, and she clenched her fists to try and stifle the sensation.

With Ha-Gumi still sitting in a row, Kaede gave Ivy an expressionless but still observant look. Ivy sucked in a quick breath through her nose and regained her composure. She’d made her choice long ago, back in the flames, back at the side of the campfire. She’d vowed to defeat Hao’s enemies. Someone she knew or not—an X-Law was an X-Law, and she couldn’t afford their kind any sympathy.

Shifting mental gears, Ivy adjusted to the mindset of someone assessing the competition. Thanks to Luchist and her own encounters, she knew more than enough about X-I. Their opponents, Team Nile, were just as distinctive in appearance, each of them wearing something in representation of their Egyptian roots. The one in the pharaoh’s mask seemed to be the leader, but his mana didn’t seem to be anything worth noting. Even Marco could handle the lot of them without issue, much less their Iron Maiden. Given the X-Laws’ brutal methods, the outcome would be obvious.

It should have been a simple battle, over in a few moments of bloodshed. With Marco’s impatience, it seemed like he was about to counter the opponents before Radim had even declared the start of the match, but that didn’t come to pass.

Lyserg stepped forward instead.

Ivy understood, even without needing to listen to the discussion that had passed between the members of X-I. The three-on-one before her was different than the one that had happened during Team The Ren’s match versus Tsuchi-Gumi. When Ren had sent Joco into the fight, he had done so out of trust for his teammate’s capability to handle the battle. That wasn’t what the X-Laws were doing.

_They’re testing him._

It made sense. Lyserg may have fought his way to this point in the Shaman Fight, but he hadn’t done it amongst the X-Laws. They needed to ensure that their newest recruit could handle battle to their expectations. It wasn’t all that different to how things went in Hao’s group or the things she’d endured under her former master’s watch.

Lyserg didn’t balk under the pressure, though, invoking his pendulum Over Soul as Marco rolled Jeanne’s Iron Maiden off to the side of the field. As soon as the match began, the unlikely weapon made short work of the pyramid headpiece, and then the sarcophagus medium of the Anubis masked member, the pieces shattering across the tournament floor. The wire wrapped around the pharaoh masked leader next, the edges buzzing with sharpened mana, and Ivy was on her feet before logical thought could catch up with her.

“I’ll shred you…just like I did that mummy.”

_No, you don’t need to._

“This is my justice.”

_You’re not the type of person that needs to go that far._

“Only a fool frees a captured enemy.”

_You don’t have to walk down the same sort of path that people like me do._

“I’m sorry, Yoh. You can’t save anyone by being nice.”

_You’re still pure!_

First she noticed the colorless streaks of tears running from those green eyes.

And then there was blood.

More than enough of it to cause a serious injury, but not enough to immediately lead to death. Ivy was familiar with what that looked like. She’d expected a corpse, but the man entwined in Lyserg’s wires was still alive. As Lyserg continued to speak, it was clear that he’d intended a feint. Something to scare the opponent away and lead to a forfeit. Still, there was no mistaking the malice she’d felt in the moment before, even as he cried. A little bit more force, and Team Nile would’ve no longer had a leader.

All for the sake of what he was declaring to be his form of justice. The idea that causing a little more pain and death was okay if it meant defeating their enemy. A pretty little sermon near recited from the prattling she’d heard of the X-Laws before. They hadn’t wasted any moment of the past three months in instilling their doctrine into his mind. The hollow expression on his face, even more void of emotion than Kaede’s stoic features, proved that plenty.

Behind her, Luchist was shouting, upset by Lyserg’s words, but Hao didn’t seem to pay it any mind. He was right. What they were doing and what the X-Laws were doing—it was the same. They’d both chosen paths that meant obliterating those who stood in the way of their goals, even when that inevitably meant there would be blood on their hands, piles of corpses in their wake.

“They’re no more righteous than we are.”

_That’s right. No matter what we do, we never insist on purporting our way is the correct one. We simply take what we’re capable of, because that’s the right of the strong._

_But the X-Laws…_

They insisted they were serving a sense of justice. While it pissed Ivy off, she had to admit it did serve as a powerful cornerstone of their resolve. With that sort of dogged devotion backing him, Lyserg was more than enough to handle Team Nile, especially after the psychological advantage he’d gained with his first ruthless strikes. If they were smart, they’d throw the match. While everyone was fighting to realize their ideals, there were more ways to accomplish a dream than being victorious in the Shaman Fight.

Anatel, the leader, didn’t seem to think so. He pumped his mana into his Over Soul, Egyptian obelisks and carvings forming massive wings that rained down feathers onto the field. The effect was a curse that would eat away at those affected until their death. With her mana and healing capabilities, Ivy would have been able to brush off the assault, but Lyserg was a very different kind of shaman, and he didn’t have as much resistance.

_It’s impossible to interfere with a match thanks to the Patch’s barrier, but if that man does kill Lyserg and Marco or their shitty Iron Maiden doesn’t kill him, then I’ll—_

Then she’d what? Get revenge for an enemy? What good would that even do?

_Not an enemy. A friend._

The nausea in her stomach rose to become a pang in her heart, but Ivy didn’t have time to process the emotion. Lyserg, knowing that killing the owner of the Over Soul would negate its effects, launched his pendulum at Anatel. His aim was true, and his resolve was solid, but the attack never connected.

Ivy almost couldn’t recognize why from her vantage point, but then she saw it. The small pink shape of his fairy spirit ally amongst the blue glow of his mana. She was stopping him, preventing the attack from reaching its intended target—long enough for the feathers to complete their curse. Lyserg tumbled to the ground, his body wracked with coughs.

He could have forced Morphea to continue, dominated her will and taken Anatel’s life.

But he didn’t.

Relief surged through Ivy enough that she finally dropped back into her seat. Yes, it was a risky move. Yes, not forcing the kill put Lyserg’s own life in danger. But the dead could be revived, especially with someone like the Iron Maiden on their side, and choosing not to press the issue meant that Lyserg didn’t have to become a murderer, not yet.

Kaede was still peering at Ivy, and Issebella was chattering some sort of nonsense amongst the murmuring commentary from the crowd. It all barely registered. _I shouldn’t care, and there’s still a risk that later he’ll make a decision, but for now—_

_His will isn’t strong enough to go on._

Not that it mattered as the Iron Maiden launched across the field, smacking into Lyserg. In some ways, it looked as if the X-Laws’ leader was knocking him out of harm’s way, but that was optimistic. No matter how many years had passed, Ivy could easily recognize a strike meant for someone that had failed to live up to expectations. A flash of anger coursed into her veins, and it intensified as Marco declared that the only way for Lyserg to remain a member was to come and face punishment later.

She briefly wondered if she could kill the Iron Maiden before dismissing the thought. She wasn’t strong enough for that, and, even if she were, Hao wanted the X-Laws to stick around out of a sense of amusement. She couldn’t defy that, and there wouldn’t be a chance for them to cross paths in the arena, either.

_When the time comes, though, I’ll kill as many of those damn X-Laws as I can possibly manage._

With a great wave of mana, the Iron Maiden Jeanne fully stepped foot on the arena, her small body framed by her locks of silver hair. To most, her power would seem immeasurable, but it was nothing more than a fraction of Hao’s capability. To be scared of someone like that would be pathetic, no matter how much carnage she could cause.

A child cultivated into a weapon of mass destruction while singing pretty words of justice—

The Iron Maiden Jeanne slaughtered all opponents in her way with a holy smile, and the match between X-I and Team Nile came to an end.

* * *

The next match was that of Team Funbari Hot Springs versus The Ice Men, but that only held Hao’s interest for so long. He’d witnessed Kiyoyama Anna with the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu, and it was inevitable she’d drill it into the minds of Yoh and his teammates. Combined with the sheer power of the Futsu no Mitama as a medium and Yoh’s new mastery of a compound Over Soul, there would be little his opponents could truly do to stand up to him. The refined abilities of his teammates also contributed to that factor, making the outcome obvious. Hao wouldn’t have minded watching the full results, but he had a few visits to make which took precedence.

The first was a quick chat with Tao Ren.

A quick chat that he hadn’t expected to involve having a blade drawn at his neck.

_Maybe I should’ve expected it because I provoked his insecurities, but still…_

“No more games,” Ren said, his hands and blade never once wavering. “I’m no fool. Your barbs don’t work on me. You’re the one who came after me, so what do you want?” Not that Hao had been hiding it, but it was still clever that he noticed. “Maybe you want to know…how I really feel about Yoh?”

“You’re a sharp one. I like that. I knew you were good, Tao Ren. No wonder Aviantei has such an interest in you.” Hao didn’t need to hear the questioning thought with how clearly it was telegraphed in Ren’s eyes. “Ah, I suppose you don’t know her by that name. ‘Lon Ivy’ is much more familiar to you, isn’t it?”

If possible, the sharp look in Ren’s eyes refined even further, nearly more dangerous than the kwan dao still poised at Hao’s neck. It was almost adorable. “What do you mean, ‘interest’?”

“It’s exactly the same as your interest in her.” The complex emotions on the matter roiling around in Ren’s heart were just as complicated as Aviantei’s. Hao couldn’t help but wonder what a future with the two of them standing on the same side would look like, how it might push each of them even further past their limits. “Join me.”

Ren’s hardened expression faltered as his Chinese warlord spirit ally shouted his surprise. Taking advantage of the faint wavering in Ren’s mind, Hao continued:

“Join me and you will be able to learn everything. Techniques that surpass the outdated Ultra Senji Ryakketsu. And you will learn about me. Oh, and more about Aviantei, of course. She’d be elated to have you on our side.” A chuckle slipped out from his smirk. “Ren, you know you can’t defeat me, or Aviantei. Where you are, even the idea of defeating Yoh is a pipe dream.”

“Devil! _What do you take me for?!_ ”

Ren moved with a ferocity of murderous intent and insecurity, his kwan dao aiming to kill. Hao was able to use his cloak as a screen, integrating his Over Soul to burn the core of the weapon to a crisp—faster than the halberd could turn to ash. His body recognizing the threat, Ren halted his assault, but his mental opposition was at an all-time high.

“Ah, well. I expected resistance the first time. But you’ll be mine, soon enough. Next time, you won’t be so hostile. Ren…”

Leaving Ren behind in the dust, Hao marked one item off his mental to do list and spread out his awareness. He’d managed to catch Ren after noticing him leave the Patch arena, but his next target was a bit more elusive. Thankfully, it just took a bit of communication with the elements to know where he was going.

The second priority was a warning for Lon Ander.

He’d taken the smart strategy to avoiding large gatherings of participants, likely because he knew, even with their confrontation marked out on the official tournament bracket, that Aviantei wouldn’t hesitate the moment that she saw him. At least, within the Shaman Fight, Ander could prepare for the confrontation, for what little good it would do him.

_But before then, he should know—_

(The trauma and fear, the loss of life, blood spilled, the memory of a terrified child from over a thousand years ago that refused to fade away.)

_—just what kind of hell he created for himself that day._

Hao found Lon Ander resting in one of the many Patch lodgings on his own, not a teammate in sight—more than likely left behind to report back on the tournament, as Hao was having his own followers do. He did look a lot like Aviantei in some ways: the same angles in their face, matching shades of chocolate brown hair and eyes, though Ander kept his a bit shorter and messier. He was taller, too, with a lanky build that compacted in muscle from years of unrelenting molding. Between his tight top and baggier pants not too different from Tao Ren’s attire, his almost European features seemed out of place, but the gold on vibrant violet of his clothes proudly proclaimed his family allegiance.

With the unwavering gaze of someone who was used to not backing down against those that were clearly more powerful than him, Lon Ander looked up to Hao, where he’d perched himself on the window frame.

“Well, well, well,” Ander said, voice drawling out the English syllables with fluent ease, not even budging from his relaxed sprawl, “I didn’t expect to get a VIP visit from the top contender of the tournament that everyone’s pissing their pants about.” Fear resonated out from him, but Ander had plenty of skill in not letting it show. If it weren’t for his mind reading capability, Hao might not have even noticed. “I’m pretty sure I’m not even a concern to you. So what do I owe the honor of this visit to, Asakura Hao?”

Not many things could take Hao by surprise, but the fact that someone like Ander knew his family name was unexpected, to say the least. _He’s well informed for someone with such a single-minded goal. But I suppose it’s not all that impossible._ Hao maintained his usual placid smile. “You’re right. Normally, I’d have no concern for someone like you. However, we do have someone rather important connecting us, don’t we?

“So tell me. Do you happen to know what happened to Aviantei after you left her in that fire?”

Ander sat up, all traces of his previous casual demeanor gone. “So Avi-hime got picked up by you, huh? Would you consider that lucky or unlucky?” Hao didn’t answer. There was no need to entertain this child’s questions. “Well, if she’s made it this far at your side, then I’m sure she’s gotten even better. So that just means this is the perfect time to bring her back home.”

“Second question,” Hao said, ignoring the thread of the conversation Ander was trying to pursue, “do you have any idea why you’re even alive right now?”

_When I could blink and burn you and your soul to ashes right now, when I could have hunted you down ten years ago, when Aviantei herself could have slaughtered you long before this very moment?_

With Hao not even bothering to hide his murderous intent, Ander was frozen in place by the sheer output of mana. The conflagration Hao could unleash with just the oxygen in the room was immense, and that was just counting a direct Over Soul—never mind what else he could harness from the elements.

“It’s because Aviantei has a misplaced idea of her own strength,” Hao said, letting flames dance between his fingertips. The light emphasized the fear in Ander’s eyes. “Holding herself up to a ridiculous standard, she’s convinced herself that she’s needed this much time to overcome you—as if you could ever outstrip her in raw talent, let alone effort.

“After all, how could a mere priest ever hope to defeat a princess, _Huarthian_?”

The sound of his elemental name dropped so casually into the conversation eliminated the last of Ander’s composure, and he broke out into a cold sweat. He must have understood, just how willing the elements were to bend to Hao’s will. Satisfied, Hao allowed himself a chuckle.

“Of course, it’s not just Aviantei’s insecurity keeping you alive. You see, I wouldn’t mind being the one to kill you myself.” Just thinking of the story, of the pain Aviantei had suppressed inside herself—it brought up too many aching memories of Hao’s own for him to ignore it. “But I decided long ago that being able to destroy you is important to her, so I’ll let her handle things on her own. So you should be grateful that you’ve had this much time on this earth before it comes to an end. Because I can assure you—

_“You’re not going to make it out of your match alive.”_

More than satisfied with the resulting fear overwhelming Ander’s mind, Hao dismissed himself by hopping out the window and adjusting his cloak back into place as he began the return to their base, the oncoming sounds of the stadium’s crowd exiting as the matches of the Shaman Fight for the day came to the close.

_I shouldn’t stay out too late when tomorrow’s such a big day, after all. No matter how insignificant X-III may be, it’s always best to be in top shape before a match._

And, thinking of the possibilities to come, Hao’s expression settled into his customary smile as he walked beneath the crystal-clear lights of the stars above.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Local fanfiction author finally drafts the end of their eleven-year-old fanfic amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Expect biweekly updates on this story for quite some time into the future.


	28. Part Twenty-Eight: Vulnerability

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Eight: Vulnerability

* * *

Because of the way Hao was, there had been two main priorities in setting up their camp on the Island of Tokyo: its close proximity to the natural pools of hot springs and its _lack_ of close proximity to the rest of the Shaman Fight participants. Yes, it was a bit out of the way from regular conveniences, but that was life with Hao. It was really only because of the relative civilization at the Patch Village that Ivy noticed the difference, and it didn’t matter much to her in the end. There was still the opportunity to take a bath to clean off the grime of the day and food to be eaten around one of the many campfires as the flames cast their lights off the walls of the abandoned military base they’d chosen as their base.

Watching Yoh-dono’s match against the Ice Men had been a good palette cleanser for her emotions, as had soaking in the bath. She still felt uneasy—and like marching her way over to the X-Laws’ obnoxious ship taking up half the island’s beach to see how much destruction she could cause—but it was a far more muted feeling than before, and that meant it was manageable.

“Are you okay?” Kaede asked, her quiet voice enough to pull Ivy from the loop of thoughts she’d gotten caught up in again. The still mostly full wooden bowl of soup in her lap proved that she couldn’t even focus on something as essential as eating, and she pulled the spoon towards her mouth. It wouldn’t do any good for the emotional nausea to pass but to upset her body by not eating. “You’ve been spacing out, which you hardly ever do. Plus you were acting strange during the match today.”

“Oh yeah,” Issebella said, plopping back into her seat from refilling her own bowl, “what was up with that? You acted all upset over what was happening to that X-Law kid and wouldn’t even answer when I asked you questions. That’s _so_ not fair, Principessa!”

Normally, a sharp retort would have slipped off Ivy’s tongue at Issebella’s whining, but she didn’t have the irritation left to fuel it. “It’s just…” From her memorial tablet hooked to Ivy’s belt, Mya gave a reassuring pulse of energy. Yes, Ivy could let it be, talk things over with Mya later, but she’d already made enough of a scene in front of her teammates earlier. She might as well try to be a good leader and explain herself. “The boy. Lyserg. I met him before. We’re…” _Do I even have the right to call us friends?_ “We’re very similar.”

That got her an outright expression of disbelief from Issebella and a faintly raised eyebrow from Kaede—which were equivalent to the same thing. Considering that Ivy was comparing herself to a member of Hao’s sworn enemies, she didn’t blame their skepticism. Ivy took a big sip directly from her bowl before setting it aside. She realized, perhaps a bit too late, that neither Kaede nor Issebella knew her whole situation.

_Better now than before I slaughter Ander in front of them, I suppose._

“When I was young, my parents were killed.” It had been so long since she’d said it in those exact words. The faint tremble in her voice surprised her. Gratitude that the rest of Hao’s followers had long acclimated to not joining Ha-Gumi mingled the rest of the emotional cocktail spreading throughout her veins. “Hao-dono picked me up after that.” Issebella, though her circumstances differed, nodded in understanding. “The point is, Lyserg and I had the same experience with that loss. And we’re both aiming for the same thing—to kill the person that took our parents from us.”

“Except the person who killed his folks was Dio, and the person who killed yours wasn’t.” Ivy nodded; simplistic assessment or no, it was the truth. Issebella adjusted to cross her legs, not caring a bit about the spread of her skirt. “I’m guessing that he wasn’t an X-Law when you met him, though, Principessa _._ I don’t see you giving one the time of day to breathe, otherwise.”

Ivy exhaled a weary laugh. “You’re not wrong.” To think, it had been a coincidental encounter that had brought them together again. The slightest change in their paths, and Ivy wouldn’t even be having a problem. Or maybe she was kidding herself and just the memory of him in the middle of that fire as a child would have been enough. “But now I know enough, so it’s difficult to just view him as an enemy. If I could, I’d protect him, keep him safe from all this. Keep him away from the X-Laws and their shitty ideals.”

_But I can’t, because that would cause too much problems—for both of us._

For once, Issebella fell silent, and her face screwed up in concentration. She looked over Ivy once, then twice, before glancing to Kaede and back again. “Principessa, that’s cheating.”

“ _Excuse_ you?”

“You’re cheating on Dio!” All other emotions became forgotten as embarrassment and hormones decided to kick out all semblance of rational thought, and Ivy almost knocked over her still waiting soup bowl over in shock. Issebella waggled a finger through the air, her other hand nested in her hair. “Don’t glare at me like that! You _never_ care about anyone else’s wellbeing besides yours, Opacho’s, or Dio’s. And, I mean, Opacho’s just a kid, so that’s fine, but you can’t have the hots for someone else.”

“Do you even listen to the words coming out of your mouth? I don’t ‘have the hots’ for anyone.” Kaede didn’t say anything, but she did thoughtfully purse her lips, and Ivy shot her a look of betrayal. _I thought we were on the same side here, dammit._ Oddly glad for a petty argument to distract her, Ivy straightened her back and shoved an accusing finger back in Issebella’s direction. “Besides, if giving a damn what happens to someone else is cheating, what do you call what you do, Miss I’m-Going-to-Flirt-with-Whoever-I-Please-Twenty-Four-Seven?”

“No, no, no, you have it all wrong!” Issebella said with that annoying tone that indicated she thought what she was saying made perfect sense, even if it was likely nonsense. “It’s because I act without hesitation whenever I feel my heart calling out to me that my feelings are the purest of them all!” Ivy wished that they’d cooked something more than soup, just so she could have something to easily shove down Issebella’s throat. “But you’re not like that, Principessa _._ You’ve always committed yourself to Dio.”

Ivy settled for a glare. “Because he’s my master.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s not what I mean.” Ivy caught wind of Issebella’s meaning, but refused to acknowledge it. She’d known her own feelings for Hao for years. She still wasn’t any position to act on them. She had a duty to fulfill, especially when they were in the thick of the Shaman Fight. Just the upcoming Star Festival alone would take up so much time and energy. It was almost impressive what Issebella had the brain power to contribute herself to. “You get what I’m talking about, right Kaede?”

Two heads swiveled towards their teammate, and Kaede gave the faintest of nods that made Ivy consider dying right then and there—though she noted it was more likely that Issebella had babbled about her conspiracy theories to Kaede that gave the answer, rather than Ivy being obvious about it. Then, after a few beats of silence that only left room for the sounds of the night and the conversations of the other followers, Kaede said, “Tao Ren.”

Issebella sucked in a dramatic gasp that just fell short of dragging in everything within its immediate vicinity with the force. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize that, holy crap! _Principessa—_ ”

“Goodness, you lot are as lively as usual.” Hao’s chuckle announced his presence, and it didn’t take too long for Ivy to notice their master approaching their campfire circle, Opacho skittering at his heels. He must’ve gotten back not too long ago, seeing as Opacho was sticking to his side. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you,” Hao said, already taking a seat. Kaede, composed as ever, got to work on prepping him and Opacho their own bowls as if she hadn’t just added more fuel to Issebella’s unnecessary fire. “What were we discussing that’s gotten you all so energetic?”

“Oh, Dio, we were just—”

“Talking about how the matches today were a good reminder that training and effort are necessary to build strength,” Ivy said, her voice clipped but not sounding completely unnatural. “In fact, Issebella, I’m impressed by your devotion to ensure that we achieve our goals. I know that you recommended that we rest, Hao-dono, but since our match isn’t for another two days, I think it would be fine to let Issebella do some extra training tonight, wouldn’t it?”

The message was clear: _Spout any of your nonsense to Hao-dono, and as your team leader, I’ll work you into the ground tonight._

Issebella muttered a few choice complaints in Italian, but ultimately relented and returned to her soup. “I suppose that given how the matches went today, that would be enough to get everyone a bit motivated, hm?” Hao said, drinking soup directly from the bowl, seeing as Opacho had easily taken his other arm hostage. Ivy glanced down, sure she was about to get a scolding for her behavior during X-I’s match. “That Tao Ren is intriguing, really. I tried to recruit him today, but he didn’t take the bait. Not yet anyways.”

Ivy’s head shot up, and the soup sloshed in her bowl, though the level was low enough that nothing spilled over the edges. “He didn’t?” she asked before she could stop herself.

Hao nodded, and even Opacho peered up at him, her small cup still between her hands. “He’s a stubborn one. He wants to achieve things through his own power, not through someone else handing him the results—even if he knows those outcomes are likely not going to be as efficient. Of course, having the determination to stick to your ideals like that is part of what’s necessary to succeed as a Shaman.” Hao smiled, seeming content with the results, and Ivy felt herself glad to hear that Ren was sticking to his determination, even if it still put them on different sides. If nothing else, they weren’t as direct enemies as she and Lyserg were. “He seemed rather interested in hearing about you, though, Aviantei.”

Ivy said, “Huh?” at the same time Issebella pumped her fist and declared, “ _Lo sapevo!_ ” Kaede, still pokerfaced, turned her head to face Hao a bit more.

“You’re both warriors who have faced off against each other before,” Hao said, by way of explanation. “While he still has a way to go, you consider him a worthwhile opponent, don’t you? It’s partway because of your interest that I considered him as a potential candidate—of course, his own merit has plenty to do with that, too.” For some unnecessary reason, Ivy’s chest swelled with pride. “I hope you don’t mind, Aviantei, but I told him if he wanted to learn more about you, he’d have to join up with us. Naturally, I offered training, as well, but I figure that a little incentive never hurt.”

 _I’m not sure if you can really call that a motivating incentive, but—_ Ivy couldn’t deny that she’d like to learn more about Ren, what he’d been through since they’d last fought, since the time they’d crossed paths as children. “If that’s what Hao-dono thinks is best, then I don’t mind.”

Maybe Ren would ultimately accept Hao’s offer and join their side. Maybe he wouldn’t and instead would continue to forge his own path. Either way, Ivy hoped, that if nothing else, he would be in a position to fight for his dream—whatever it may be—until the very end.

* * *

Thanks in no small part to Hao’s assurance that Ha-Gumi would be fine even without an extra day of work and Issebella’s own good behavior in _not_ spilling their previous conversation, Ivy didn’t put her through a rough course of training. As such, Issebella, with her belly beyond full from all the dinner she’d eaten, had quickly fallen asleep, letting out the occasional snore as usual and providing a consistent backdrop to mingle with the sound from the other followers still awake in the other parts of the building, going through their nightly routines and still in occasional conversation.

Ivy stared up at the ceiling, half contemplating the cracks as she worked towards falling asleep. She tended not to have much trouble resting on most days, but it usually took her some time to get there. Then again, most days, she hadn’t watched people act as a reflection as the person she could have been if she’d stayed with Master and Teacher, if she’d gone back with Ander when he’d come to pick her up—a convenient killing machine formed through some of the cruelest forms of nature.

_Then again, am I all that different? I still ended up a killer, anyways._

Ivy exhaled a bit too loudly for the quiet room and tried to roll onto her side to see if it would help her restlessness. If worse came to worst, she could always use the leaves to lull herself to sleep, but there tended to be few issues that a bit of meditation couldn’t handle. Shifting her focus from her active thoughts to the sensations of her body, Ivy became more intimately aware of the tense muscles in her left shoulder, of the core of chi settled just beneath her navel, of the way the blanket’s weight felt draped over her body, of how breaths filled the lungs and expanded the chest before emptying, deflating—

“Are you still awake?”

Kaede’s soft voice made the deep mindfulness shift away as a world beyond Ivy’s own body came back into proper focus. Issebella was still snoring, meaning that she was gone enough that quiet conversation wouldn’t disturb her. The last thing Ivy wanted to put up with now was a long series of ramblings from Issebella, especially whenever they would start to blur the lines between rational English and Italian. Just because Ivy _could_ understand it didn’t mean that she wanted to.

They were safe from that threat, though, so Ivy opened her eyes in acknowledgement. “I am.”

In the faint bit of light that existed, Kaede’s pale skin looked almost luminous. If it weren’t for the fact that the rest of her didn’t have the same slightglow, Ivy might have mistaken her for a spirit. It was hard to judge Kaede’s expression, even on a good day, and the limited vision wasn’t doing the process any favors, but she didn’t seem the slightest bit tired. Rather, Ivy thought the look in her eyes was contemplative.

Kaede stayed unmoving for a few moments longer, and Ivy was starting to trace the lines of her pale hair across her even paler face when she opened her mouth at last, the words forming in Japanese. “You talked about what happened to you earlier,” she said, the monotone words occasionally faltering in hesitation, even in Kaede’s native tongue. “Issebella already knows what happened with me, so I wanted to share.”

 _Ah._ The last person to open up to Ivy about the wounds of their past had been Lyserg, and even that was technically unnecessary, since she’d been there for it. She’d also been around for Hao recruiting most of his other followers, Issebella included, so conversations about such topics weren’t necessary then, either. For the few that _had_ been around before Ivy, she’d never made herself into the type of person that would be anyone’s first choice for confiding their soul’s scars to.

“If this is about making things even between us, then you don’t have to bother,” Ivy said, her language and volume matching Kaede’s. “I don’t keep tabs on such things. There’s way more important stuff to worry about, you know.”

Kaede shook her head. “It’s not like that at all. I want you to know.” Vulnerability could turn into such a weakness, and yet Kaede was choosing to walk into it headfirst. “My family had shamanic blood in it, but my father didn’t make use of it. Instead, we ran an inn out of the country. It was me, Tou-san and my little brother. We were happy, but then the word got out about our family history.” Ivy could guess well enough where the story was going, and a fresh pit excavated itself in her stomach. Kaede’s matter of fact delivery wasn’t helping matters. “Tou-san realized what was going to happen and he arranged for us to go live with a faraway relative. My brother went, but I hid away and stayed. I didn’t want to leave him alone.”

The slightest beat passed, enough to call it hesitation. Kaede continued.

“They killed him. I couldn’t do anything. And then when I panicked, they captured me. I can’t really remember how long I was there, but it hurt. Fia found me first, set me free. Issebella came after that…” Kaede shrugged, as if it were some sort of punctuation mark that indicated the story was over, even as she lived in the continuation. “I just want Momiji to be safe, but I don’t want to have to always fight to make that reality. If Hao-sama wins the Shaman Fight, then that won’t be a problem. So I’m willing to help.”

Ivy thought that might have been the first time she’d ever heard Kaede express something like a desire, thought maybe she was misremembering. It was, however, the first time one of Kaede’s requests had made such an impression.

_Just what am I supposed to say to that? Why in the world did Hao-dono think I was fit to be a leader?_

Hao would know what to say. But then again, what he would say would be something that made sense for Asakura Hao, an onmyoji of over one-thousand years of life. What could Lon Ivy offer in comparison to that?

_I can offer myself._

“Hao-dono will win.” She’d said it so many times that the words might have become meaningless, but, to Ivy, they were an irrefutable fact. “I’m going to help him in any way I can, and I’ll gladly take your help. Even that thickheaded Issebella over there is going to contribute, so you can rest easy.” Kaede’s lips quirked into the faintest shape of a smile. Issebella let out a satisfied yet somewhat sleazy chuckle in her sleep, as if she could sense the show of happiness without even needing to be conscious. “If you don’t want to fight too much, I won’t make you. I plan on handling our first match myself, and there’s no point in the tournament after that. So you just need to help when it comes to the Star Festival, okay?”

“I can do that.” Considering the vein of their previous conversations, Ivy thought it would end there, as they covered what needed to be covered, but Kaede surprised her by opening her mouth one more time. “Can I…call you something besides Lon-san?”

Ivy was pretty sure Kaede had never called her that in the first place—then again, she didn’t use names much anyways—but she didn’t argue for the sake of sentiment. Kaede was just trying to be polite. “I really don’t care what you call me.”

A nod. “Hime-san, then.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Sorry. That was supposed to be a joke.” Her sheer monotone brought to question whether it was really a joke or even if you could call her words an apology, but that wasn’t worth splitting hairs over, either. Ivy didn’t think she could handle anyone else treating her like a princess, but she didn’t have any alternate suggestions, either. So she let Kaede think things over, Ivy ultimately falling back into her meditation as sleep started to finally pull back at her mind. She was halfway there whenever Kaede finally spoke, the word quiet enough that it was almost inaudible, even in the stillness of the night.

“ _Ka-san._ ”

Ivy felt too tired to know if she’d heard directly, and she didn’t care much if she did, either. All she wanted was the ability to slip into the dark, where her soul could stop trembling from all she’d thought about that day.

* * *

With the fresh sting in his cheek and the pulsing of the bruises along his collarbone, Lyserg Diethel could not sleep. There were other aches in his body, but they were far less pressing of priorities, and he’d gotten used to their pain as it slipped under the layers upon layers of fresh punishment.

He’d had the opportunity to leave after his failure in the arena, but he’d walked right back into it. If he couldn’t withstand a little hardship like this, he wouldn’t be able to even begin to stand up against Hao.

All the work he’d put in would be for nothing.

He’d never see vengeance for his parents.

He knew that and yet, talking to Asakura Yoh made his heart waver.

Throwing an arm over his eyes to try and ignore the fresh sting of tears from him, Lyserg tried to take even breaths. He couldn’t just stop. Not after he’d spoken such big words back in the Patch Village to the girl who was pursuing a similar ideal to his. If he was encouraging her to move forward, then he should have the resolve to do the same.

Lon Ivy’s somewhat sad smile as she shared her thoughts hadn’t left his memory.

_I hope I get to see her soon…_


	29. Part Twenty-Nine: Monsters

**Aviantei**

By: Aviantei

Part Twenty-Nine: Monsters

* * *

Saying that Hana-Gumi won their match against T-Production was the same as remarking that fish lived underwater: A true statement that was ultimately obvious and added nothing of value to the conversation.

The same could be said of the fact that Hoshi-Gumi would ultimately win against X-III.

While the atmosphere amongst Hao’s followers during the matches tended to be relaxed, as if the matches before them were nothing more than a movie they’d gone out to see for entertainment. Today was the first time that Ivy had felt a palpable excitement amongst their members, everyone excited to watch their shared master in action. Though she knew the outcome, Ivy felt the same.

It was exhilarating to see someone so powerful dominate with their mere presence.

The fact that he was facing down against his top enemies only added to the excitement. Opacho had predicted the outcome, but even that wasn’t necessary to know how things would end.

After this match, the X-Laws’ numbers would be down by three.

“Let’s go, Dio!” Issebella shouted, wholly caught up in the festivities, and several others from the group joined in with the cheers, their voices making a ruckus in the apprehensive mood of the stadium. Ivy and Kaede stayed in their seats, though Ivy willed her encouragement to reach through the air and the elements to cheer him on.

_This is Hao-dono’s moment to shine._

Down on the field, X-III’s leader, Venstar, declared his intention to bring Hao to death, as if such a thing was possible for them. Having the full force of Hao, Opacho, and Luchist against the trio of Venstar, Meene, and Cebin would be overkill. Of course, having just Hao against the three X-Laws was the same, but, as he mentioned, it would at least create some form of excitement if they all took him on at once. A simple insult of their Iron Maiden was enough to whip their emotions up into a frenzy.

In a place like the Shaman Fight where the strength of your heart was an essential part, losing control of yourself was fatal, even in matches where your strength was comparable with your opponents’.

Here they were just lambs lining up for the slaughter.

The match began.

X-III summoned their archangels.

Hao called upon the Spirit of Fire.

Meene was impaled through the chest.

Cebin was crushed beneath the Spirit of Fire’s claw and set ablaze.

Venstar suffered several of impalements through his torso as his Over Soul crumpled useless in the corner.

“And that’s match,” Ivy said, her heart thudding in her chest. It had only been a matter of a few minutes, but the X-Laws were down. She’d been very fortunate to gain such a skilled master all those years ago. Not to mention that it felt good, watching members of the X-Laws suffer for what they’d put Lyserg through the day before, even if the members of X-III hadn’t been directly responsible. The Iron Maiden with her disgustingly noble heart would still mourn the loss, and all the more so since Hao had destroyed the corpses, preventing the fallen members from ever returning.

“ _Whoa!_ ” Radim shouted into the mic, his voice blasting throughout the stadium. “Venstar! He’s still alive!” Ivy’s eyes widened—the sheer shock of so many powerful wounds would have been enough to make anyone’s mind shut down—but it seemed their announcer wasn’t completely full of it. What spirit! Even while mortally wounded! _Now that’s guts!_ ”

Issebella whistled. “You don’t see many people take an injury like that and still be able to talk smack.”

“He can’t hold on for much longer, though,” Kaede said, giving a cold assessment. “He has to know that this is going to be his last move. So what’s it going to be?”

Ivy didn’t know. Hao seemed amused enough, so that was at least a good sign, his unfaltering smile a reassurance. He was even brazen enough to reveal the medium for his Over Soul—the very oxygen in the air—to the enemy as a way to negate the losses of their comrades. It was a psychological blow on top of all the physical violence he’d dispensed already. But Venstar didn’t even falter then, asking about the strength of the barrier surrounding the battlefield and reaching into a large pouch around his waist to pull out a massive grenade that he pulled the pin out of with his teeth.

“ _Long live Lady Jeanne._ ”

In the second that followed that proclamation there was a stunned silence. Hao, snatched up by the battered Metatron didn’t have much opportunity to move. Radim dived outside the forcefield. Luchist and Opacho, who had already left its perimeter, couldn’t do anything to reenter and help. Somewhere across the arena, she thought she heard a familiar voice scream, but that didn’t matter in the wake of the shriek that tore its way out of her own throat.

“ _Hao-dono!_ ”

Though there shouldn’t have been the time for him to recognize it, time had slowed down enough for Lyserg to hear. His eyes somehow pulled themselves away from the arena below to the stands, where Lon Ivy had stood, screaming the name of someone she clearly cared about as she clung to the edge of the banister like a prayer that moving closer would be enough to save him.

_She said…Hao’s name…_

Then the explosion went off, decimating Venstar in the process, and that along with the realization was enough for his knees to buckle.

The Patch’s barrier couldn’t do a thing to a thing to keep the sound of the bomb from blasting throughout the arena, and a ringing resonated through Ivy’s ears. Though she hadn’t been injured at all, her chest still felt the blow as strong as anything else as panic overrode her thoughts. The winner of the match didn’t matter at this point, Venstar had to have obliterated himself, but the question was whether or not there would be enough of Hao for Ivy to put him back together—

“Ivy-dono,” Mya said, materializing to wrap her arms around Ivy’s shoulders in a comforting embrace. “You don’t need to worry. Can’t you feel it? Listen.”

 _Listening_ seemed like some far-off possibility rather than one of her instinctual senses, but Ivy trusted in Mya’s intuition and focused there, rather than the massive plume of smoke obscuring her view into the Patch’s barrier. It turned out that she didn’t even need to try through her still ringing ears, because she would have heard the elements in her soul regardless. They were singing in response to the call of an onmyoji, the musical and bell-like calls of the water resonating loudest, rather than the deep timbres of fire.

_We are ready, we are at you call, it is once more time to answer to O—_

“Thank goodness,” Ivy whispered, relief flooding her heart. She still felt too stiff to move—she didn’t want to miss whatever may come next, in case X-III still had some _other_ last-ditch effort buried in their bag of tricks—but the knowledge that Hao had transmuted the Spirit of Fire to water for protection was enough. And sure enough, the thick cloud of smoke over the arena roiled as Hao blew it away, revealing himself—cloakless and his long hair defying gravity itself, but otherwise unharmed.

When Issebella released another cheer, followed by a shared outburst of joy from the other followers, Ivy’s voice was among them, even as the rest of the crowd murmured in confusion. It didn’t matter. Hao had proven he was still their backbone, someone they could follow forever, and not even a trio of people who had dedicated their lives to opposing him could do a thing in the face of that overwhelming power.

“Honestly,” Hao said, his voice perfectly clear in the quieted stadium. “You and your silly justice. You’re all a joke to me. Blowing one’s self up is hardly a laudable tactic, but you’ve done better than expected. So here’s your reward.”

In the center of the stadium, three little spirit flames lit up, then solidified into the forms of the recently fallen X-Laws.

“The rest of you can live a little longer.”

 _Ah, yes._ It had been a long time since Ivy had seen this moment in person, though she knew it must’ve been the fate of any of Hao’s previous preliminary opponents. It was never a pretty sight, but it was one she’d decided she would never look away from. After all, this, too, was part of the path she had chosen to walk on, as full of destruction as it was.

The Spirit of Fire’s face split to reveal a mouth formed of lengthy fangs and darkness.

“It’s a feast,” Hao said, sounding as if he were offering something akin to a prayer at a shrine. “Eat…Spirit of Fire.”

* * *

Lon Ander once again hadn’t gone to watch the matches between the other competitors, but he didn’t need to. That pure overwhelming sensation of mana was obvious, even from the distance of the participant’s lodges and visitor’s area. The sensation was just as terrifying as it had been from up close, when the boy form of Asakura Hao had visited him the night before.

_Acting like the only reason I’m alive is because of mercy. Don’t patronize me._

Ander didn’t have any disillusions of being able to beat someone like Asakura Hao. Even he knew it was ridiculous to expect anyone to survive up against that juggernaut of accumulated hurt and soul power—especially one with such a ridiculous affinity to the elements. Ander hadn’t been able to decipher Hao’s elemental name from the overwhelming voices, but that fact alone was enough to indicate that Hao existed in a plane that even Ander couldn’t reach.

It didn’t matter.

The idea of caring about becoming victorious in the Shaman Fight was laughable.

All that mattered any more was bringing Avi-hime home where she belonged.

_And these guys are fooling themselves if they think their little powwow here is going to change anything. Just look at what happened to the Tao’s old man._

Ander was familiar with both the Tao and the Asakura families, though he couldn’t say he was particularly close to either of them. Once upon a time he’d met each of their heirs, as a way to reinforce relations, but most of those encounters had amounted to little as Avi-hime had run off and dashed the potential for an alliance via betrothal and then Master had become even more vigorous in his training of Ander. Every moment was set for refinement of the soul, pushing to build up his power to create a strong heir for the family name to rest on, one that could reclaim the honor of the family, retaliate against those who had oppressed them, protect their lineage in an age of spiritual uncertainty.

Many people would call what Ander had been through words like _abuse_ and _torture_.

Ander had stopped caring a long time ago.

Whatever you called it, it didn’t change the reality of what he’d endured.

His own goal was to bring his sister back; if Asakura Hao wanted to destroy the world or whatever, then all the power to him. Even if Ander was stuck carrying the burden of his family’s expectations on his back, he’d long ago determined that he didn’t need to be Shaman King. This fight was a vehicle to put him and Avi-hime back on the same path, and nothing else.

Tao Yúan hadn’t been able to accept a change in the outcome as easily, though, and now he was a bloody and beaten up mess against the wall. Asakura Mikihisa had moved with such speed and technique that Ander couldn’t help but be interested. After all, it was a rare opportunity to watch the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu in action—techniques that Asakura Hao had no doubt taught Avi-hime over the years. From seeing it in person, Ander at least had an idea of how to react when his match arrived tomorrow morning.

The moment was so close, but not anywhere near close enough to realize it. If Ander had his way, he’d be fighting her right now—though he knew the anticipation was part of what made everything so exciting. The actual chance to fight against an Avi-hime who had time to refine her hatred and despair into a weapon was thrilling.

_You and I are both weapons, after all, Mèi-Mei._

“Now that we’ve settled that,” Mikihisa said, his voice echoing against his mask and breaking Ander from his reflection. He didn’t sound the least bit winded from his fight with Yúan, though both had substantial mana. “I assume there are no objections to my teaching your son how to use the Ultra Senji Ryakketsu.”

Yúan didn’t have the strength in him to protest—or give verbal content. Tao Ran, her eyes unreadable and her mouth covered by a fan, answered instead. “Of course not. I’m sure Ren will benefit greatly from your guidance. Please do help him.”

“Then I’ll be off. Keiko, Kino, Yohmei, can I leave the rest to you?”

“Go on, dear,” Asakura Keiko said, a soft smile on her face. Ander had been sitting in the same room as her for a while, and he still couldn’t get over her resemblance to Hao—though it made perfect sense, since she was his mother. “We’ll take care of things here. You wouldn’t want to run late and not get to your match on time, would you?”

Though it was impossible to see Mikihisa’s expression behind his mask, Ander got the impression of a smile before he slipped out of the room with the same blinding speed as before. Ander watched him go, not even bothering to hide the bored expression on his face. _So that’s what functioning parents look like, huh?_

“Then we’ll move onto the next concern,” Ran said, holding her regal posture with an infallible grace and dignity. “Even if Hao is going to win the Shaman Fight, that doesn’t mean we don’t have the opportunity to stop him. However, just as concerning as he is are the number and strength of his followers.”

Asakura Yohmei nodded, what was left of his hair bobbing with the movement. “Creating a strategy for Hao won’t matter in the slightest if we can’t get past them. There are plenty of challenges there, too, but there’s one in particular that can turn the tides.” He tapped the bottom of his pipe with his index finger, his eyes roving over to the side of the room where Ander sat. “Whether you lot intended to do it or not, you made way for a monster. What do you have to say about that?”

Master’s expression was hard and emphasized the wrinkles in his face. Whenever Ander was on the receiving end of that look, he tended not to get out of it unscathed, but Yohmei didn’t so much as flinch. Not even the delicate looking Keiko faltered under Master’s molten brown gaze. “If she’s become stronger, that will be all the better for us once Ander takes care of her.”

 _Yeah, yeah, go and put all your dirty work on me._ Ander couldn’t ever get away with saying those words out loud, but it didn’t matter—he’d been just as responsible for what was happening. If anyone had truly created a monster out of Avi-hime, it was him.

“Are you sure the boy can do it?” Tao Ching asked, fingers working his pure white goatee into an even finer point. “You’ve trained him well, yes, but this is a battle of souls. Refinement borne from nothing but violence cannot yield the necessary results.” Ander narrowed his eyes at the implication that he wasn’t good enough but knew he was in no position to speak.

“Bold of the Taos to criticize our methods considering your own,” Master said, and both Ran’s and Ching’s brows furrowed, the guilt obvious in their expressions. Yúan, being tended to by the family’s jiangshi, also grimaced, and it didn’t seem to be wholly from pain.

“While we understand your concerns, you must recognize that there is more than one way to be successful in this matter,” Teacher said. Though she wasn’t much older than Asakura Keiko, worry lines had long since formed in her face, but she didn’t bother to hide them, despite wearing a faint touch of makeup on her lips and around her eyes. “What matters most is that we stand united, regardless of the actions of our children. With that foundation in place, we’ll at least be heading in the right direction. Questioning whether we’ve made the right moves in a fight we cannot participate in is foolish, wouldn’t you agree?”

Ander watched as any retorts built up in the room died before coming to live on their tongues. Teacher wasn’t so much of a force of mana and battle prowess as she was a master of words and understanding the little touches in the soul that could bring people together. “Either way,” Asakura Kino said, “it’s true that we cannot interfere in the Shaman Fight directly. The future is still uncertain for that girl, regardless of if she wins or loses. That may very well be the key to the world we will ultimately live in.”

Teacher smiled in a way that Ander hadn’t seen in over a decade. “She has an innate connection with the world, after all. She’ll play a role, one way or another.”

 _That’s why she’s Aviantei,_ Ander thought. _She could have stayed with us all this time, and that would never change._

“Then we’re agreement it seems,” Keiko said, dipping her head in thanks. “Today and tomorrow morning are lynchpins in the final outcome. We’ll handle matters today, so we’ll leave the match to you, Ander. Apologies for making you handle such an important matter.”

Surprised to hear his name, Ander parted his lips to speak, but he wasn’t sure what to say. Words like _I’ve been spending my entire life for this battle_ seemed useless in Asakura Keiko’s presence. He sat there, halfway to words, his mouth going dry, but nothing came out.

“We should be the ones apologizing,” Teacher said, her voice softer than usual.

Master hummed in acknowledgement. “Yes. We let loose such a troublesome child, after all…”

And Ander knew it was his duty as an older brother to at least try and set his sister straight, whether Hao’s prediction was right or not.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [All Things Fanciful and Free](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20837807) by [Aviantei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aviantei/pseuds/Aviantei)
  * [Frolic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22153030) by [Aviantei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aviantei/pseuds/Aviantei)




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